Second Time Around
by Around here somewhere
Summary: What happens once Fitz finishes his one term? Once he's left Mellie? Once he's married to Liv? What is this life that he's wanted to have with Liv, and what happens when he gets the chance to do it all again, this time with the right woman? Takes place after Fitz's term as president...
1. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes… though I would like to be sometimes

A/N: So this is me wanting to play around with Fitz, Olivia, and kids – their kids. What happens once Fitz finishes his one term? Once he's left Mellie? Once he's married to Liv? What is this life that he's wanted to have with Liv, and what happens when he gets the chance to do it all again, this time with the right woman? "America's Baby" doesn't exist in the realm of this fanfiction….Read and Enjoy

Second Time Around

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Olivia shook her head, trying not to think of about it. It felt like a thousand years ago. Having to watch the man who was now lying beside her on TV, not being able to call the man that was now her husband her's, truly her's. She had never thought that it would be possible, what they had now – but he did. He had never given up. He had fallen in love with her at first sight, and knew enough to know that that was rare – and something that should be clung to. Even when she had convinced herself that she would never be able to attain a normal relationship with him – he knew better. She smiled as she looked down at the man sleeping beside her.

"You know you don't have to stare at me like that anymore," He said, surprising her that he was awake, slowly opening his eyes and scooting up to be eye level with her, "I'm not going anywhere. I've slept comfortably in this bed beside you for four years now, and I'm going to continue to do so, regularly – with very few exceptions, like business trips, and vacations with you, for the rest of my life."

He scooted up a little more and Olivia moved over so that she was lying in his arms. He smiled as he leaned in and kissed her temple softly. He caught her gaze and held eye contact as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and then broke it to kiss her forehead. He held his lips there as he ran his hand down her body to rest on her very pregnant stomach, where he began to run very soft circles over her pajama shirt.

"And how is my son this morning?" He asked, removing his lips from her forehead to smile at her again.

"He was kicking earlier," She replied, and Fitz pouted.

"I missed it," He seemed genuinely upset, and Olivia cupped his face in her hands.

"I love you, your son loves you - I'm sure he'll kick later for you," She smiled as she admired the beginnings of gray - a patch of hair near his ear.

"I love you, so much Livy," He kissed her stomach, and then returned to eye level, "I'm so happy with you. I know I could never apologize enough for all the hell I put you through -"

"Bringing it up's not the best way to start," She said quickly.

"I just want to thank you," He replied, "For sticking around."

"Please don't."

"Why?"

"It reminds me how pathetic it was," She replied, somewhat coldly, and he went stoic, "But we don't have to worry about that stuff now – we're happy, we're together. We have everything we ever wanted, together. There's no reason to look back."

"Daddy, Mommy, Daddy, Mommy," Jasper called as he came running into the room.

He was a beautiful, barely three year old boy with his father's eyes, nose, curly hair and jawline. He was a couple shades lighter than his mother, but had all her mannerisms, and the color of her hair. He flashed his mother's smile at the both of them.

"What's up, sport?" Fitz smiled as he took his hand off Olivia's stomach, "Get up here."

"Careful, Jazz," Olivia cautioned him as he ran right up and hopped onto the bed.

"Daddy, is Gerry gonna come home today?" He asked shyly, like he didn't want to admit that Gerry was one of his favorite people on the planet.

"Going to," Olivia corrected him, and he nodded.

"He and Karen should be home this afternoon – and they're going to be home for the whole summer," Fitz shared a smile that his son immediately displayed, "And guess what?"

"What?" He asked, his eyes expanding as Fitz's did.

"We're going to go to the doctor so we can see your brother today," He said, and Jasper smiled.

"When is he gonna come live with us?" Jasper asked.

"Jasper, 'going to' not gonna," Olivia corrected him again – more pointedly.

"When is he going to come and live with us?" Jasper rephrased his question, and Fitz chuckled.

"Our estimate's about two or three weeks," Fitz said, and Jasper scowled.

"But I want to play with him," He said adorably, and Olivia smiled at her son.

"Sweetie, you're not going to be able to play with him for a while," She told him, "He'll be too little."

Jasper pouted.

"Ok, we have to get going though, we have to go make sure that he's all set to come out," Fitz said, as he rolled out of the bed the other way, then walked over and scooped his son off the bed, "Which means we should go get you dressed while mommy gets ready to go."

A few hours later, Fitz was carrying Jasper on his hip as they walked into the office for Olivia's appointment for her ultrasound. It was getting close to the time that Olivia would having the baby, they had wanted to space their children apart with some consideration. They had wanted Jasper to be all set, and about to start going to Kindergarten, because they believed that socialization was important, which would help with jealousy issues over a new baby. They had also made sure that Jasper was extraordinarily involved with what was going on.

"Stand right there, ok?" Fitz said as he set Jasper on the ground.

The little boy clung to his father's leg as Fitz went to help Liv up onto the exam bed. He kissed her forehead – taking advantage of the fact that the nurse had stepped out and kissed her softly.

"Let's see that boy," He said, slipping her shirt up and kissing it softly.

"Careful," She jerked a little bit, her stomach – as stretched out as it was, had gotten super sensitive – something that Fitz knew all too well.

"Ok, c'mere, Jazz," Fitz said, replacing Olivia's shirt and picking his son back up – kissing the top of his head.

"Where's Dezzy?" Jasper asked, and Fitz smiled.

"We'll be able to see him in a minute," Olivia told him, the pointed to the screen that was up next to her on the other side, "The lady's going to come in and then we're going to see pictures on the screen. Like a TV."

"We're never going to be able to change his name now," Fitz said and Olivia smiled.

"I like Desmond," She replied, as Jasper started to climb up Fitz's shoulder – wiggling around.

"Jasper," He laughed as he pulled the boy away, and then rotated him around so that he was sitting on his hip again.

"We've got a full house," The Technician said as she walked by Tom, who was waiting outside the door, and into the room.

"We're going to need snapshots too," Olivia said, "His two older siblings are on their way home from college right now."

"Ok," She said, and went on with her examination of Olivia.

She checked the baby's heartbeat, and measured all sorts of other things while Fitz, Olivia, and Jasper watched.

"That doesn't look like a little brother," Jasper said and Fitz chuckled.

"Here," the tech said, bringing up a picture onto the screen, "Look, this is his head, and these are his hands, and those are his toes. He has all the same things that you do. He even, seems to have a little bit of hair on his head."

"He does?" Fitz smiled.

"Fitz, this is your fourth child, how do you not know that?"

"I do, I just got excited," Ftiz smiled sheepishly as he adjusted Jasper.

"You're adorable," Olivia mused as the woman started putting everything away and cleaning up Olivia's stomach.

"And you're all set," The tech said, and she handed Olivia a sheet of pictures.

"Everything's ok?" Fitz asked, and she nodded.

"He's perfect," She smiled, then smiled and waved at Jasper before heading out of the room.

On the way home we stopped at the grocery store. Olivia was a little scatterbrained, which was understandable in her eighth month, but she forgot to get the right things for the meal that Gerry had requested for dinner. He had told her not to worry about it, Gerry was nineteen – he could handle the meal without the broccoli, they had carrots at the house.

"But Gerry loves the broccoli with that cheesy sauce that I make," Olivia said, "He's loved it since he was a little kid. Remember when I first made it for him on the campaign trail?"

"Yes," Fitz said as he pulled into a spot near the front door, Tom was sitting in the back with Jasper, "You can wait here, I'll run in and get it."

"You don't know what you're looking for," She said pointedly, as she got out of the car.

"Well then apparently we're all going," I said, getting out of the car, and getting Jasper out of his cars eat behind me.

"I don't have shoes on," Jasper protested, and Fitz chuckled as he went up and held Olivia's hand – Tom following them.

"It's ok, buddy," Fitz said, "I'm going to carry you anyways. Your feet aren't going to touch the floor."

"We just need to get a few things," Olivia told him, and he nodded.

"Ok, Mommy," He smiled as he hugged onto Fitz's shoulder.

"Where're we headed?" I asked as the four of us walked into the grocery store.

"I'll go grab the broccoli, you run to the soup Isle? I need French onion broth and the ah – rosemary," She said and Fitz just sort of looked at her, and then to Tom.

"Right, only one guard," She seemed slightly perturbed, "Follow me."

He had the secret service for six more years, but it was becoming more and more apparent to him that they would need to hire a company once those six years were up. He didn't want to say goodbye to Tom, and was hoping by then he could get him and another agent privately, as security. As it was he had Tom and a rotating Agent, while Mellie had Hal, and Olivia got one occasionally for certain things, Jasper was too young to need one of his own – but when he was left with a babysitter an agent stayed too.

"Daddy, I'm thirsty," Jasper spoke up as they looked through the broccoli.

Actually, Liv did, because he had no idea what he would be looking for in the first place.

"Here, Jazz," Olivia said, pulling a water bottle out of her purse, "Have Daddy help you with it so you don't make a mess."

"Open wide," Fitz took the water bottle, the opening was much too large for Jasper's mouth, so he poured it in as they walked from the vegetables to the soups, "All ok, buddy?"

"Yeah," He said, "When're we going to see Gerry and Karen?"

Fitz checked his watch as Olivia tried to hand him a couple cans of soup.

"They should be there when we get home," Fitz told Jasper as they made their way to the register.

"Yay!" He said happily as he hugged Fitz's arm again.

"You love your brother and sister don't you?" Olivia commented, smiling at her son as they threw the broccoli and soup onto the conveyer belt.

"He misses them," Tom said, as Fitz smiled and turned around.

As he turned, he spotted the cover of a magazine that had a picture of him and Olivia on it. In it, he had Jasper up on his shoulders, and was holding Olivia' hand with the hand that wasn't making sure that Jazz didn't fall. It was from a couple months ago, so Liv's baby bump was significantly less visible, though still very obvious. It wasn't uncommon for them to make the cover even now. His approval ratings never went down. He finished out his term, and very quietly divorced Mellie – never really letting it affect how he ran the country. No one had even known they divorced until his last day. He married Liv a couple months after that, setting up the life he wanted perfectly, and the people didn't really burn him at the stake for it either, they had actually quite fallen in love with Liv themselves.

It was the headline that was running just above his head that was making his head spin. 'GOP thinking it's time for President Grant's second term'. He raised his eye brows as he tried to read the little taglines. It wasn't the most credible magazine, but just the headline itself was troubling to him. He was happy with his life now, it was quiet, it was slow. He got to spend time with his children, and with Liv. He was – for the most part – a stay at home dad, and it was nice to be, for once, being able to just be himself for a while – it was everything that he had craved during his stay at the White House. Olivia was still working, and she loved her job – well, when she wasn't on maternity leave like she was now.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts as he realized that Olivia was now reading it over his shoulder. She went to hand him the grocery bag, but Tom leaped up and took it instead as they walked out to the parking lot. He was trying to figure out what she was thinking, trying to get a read on her as he fastened Jasper into his car seat.

"Everything ok?" He finally just asked as he was driving the rest of the way back to the house.

"Everything's fine," She replied, but something in her voice told him that it wasn't.

He pulled the car into the driveway of their five bedroom just outside D.C. when Jasper spotted Gerry's car in the driveway, and right behind it was Karen's.

"They're here! They're here!" He shouted, and Fitz laughed as both his teenage kids came running out of the house.

Gerry, who was nineteen and looked like a younger, more muscular version of his father – with darker hair went straight to the back door of the car and scooped his little brother right out of his car seat. Karen, who was eighteen was softer than both of her parents, with very light skin like her dad but somehow very light brown hair went running right up to Olivia's door and helped her out of the car while Olivia handed over the pictures from the ultrasound.

"Oh, gee thanks," Fitz said, as he got out of the car – Gerry was tossing Jasper gently in the air, "Be careful."

"He's fine," Gerry said as he carried him around the car to where Olivia was helping Karen see exactly what parts of the ultrasound were significant portions of her brother.

It took a while for the house to calm down enough for Fitz to re-approach Olivia. When they walked in the house, Fitz was sent off to put Jasper down for his nap while Olivia went to start dinner. Gerry and Karen went to unpack their cars and unload all their stuff from school into their rooms. It didn't take long for Jasper to conk out, at which point Fitz just about hurtled down the stairs hoping to catch Liv alone.

He walked into the kitchen and she was – however violently – working on breaking up the broccoli while the steak marinated behind her. This was not good.

"Liv, you're not ok," He said as he very cautiously entered the room.

"We have a three year old, and one on the way," She said, and he nodded.

"He's almost here," He replied, "I haven't gotten any phone calls, Liv. And I don't think I will. I'm content, I'm happy, here with you and the kids."

"You don't miss it?" She checked, and he knew this was something she worried about, "You gave it all up to be with me… sometimes I wonder if you regret it."

"I haven't even for a second," He assured her, wrapping her up in his arms, "Believe me, if I had gotten a call – you'd be the first to know."


	2. Day by Day

Second Time Around

Chapter Two: Day by Day

Their days of quiet with the just the two of them and Jasper had gone completely out of the window the moment that Karen and Gerry had gotten home. Suddenly they had teenagers back in the house, Karen's friends from school were over, and Gerry's girlfriend barely left the house. It was funny how quickly the mood of a house could change. Olivia loved having everyone back in the house, while she was a little cranky, and a little snappy – she still loved having the kids home, and if that meant that their friends were there, so be it. Fitz too was happy to have the kids home, but was having a little trouble with the transition. He had gotten used to the quiet, and not having to worry about "surprising" Liv during Jasper's naptime without anyone else walking into the room. The house was just getting a little crowded.

"Dad, ew," Karen said, as she and her friends walked into the kitchen.

Fitz paused. He had one hand resting on the counter top on either side of Liv. He was holding himself enough away as to not hurt the baby, but he had been enjoying a simple moment with his wife. Kissing her beautiful lips softly, and enjoying a moment alone with her when Karen had walked in, a couple of her friends right behind her. He smiled sheepishly as his daughter, then kissed Olivia's forehead, offering no explanation or apology as he directed his attention to the teenage girls, and Olivia turned around.

"Where are you guys headed?" He asked, removing his hands from the counter.

"The mall," Karen said, holding up her keys.

"You need any cash?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No, I'm ok," She replied, smiling.

"You guys going to be home for dinner?" Olivia asked, "Your dad's cooking."

"Was I just volunteered for something?" I teased.

"I think we're grabbing a bite out," She said, "Before we go see a movie."

"Ok," Olivia said, smiling, "Have fun."

The girls all filed out of the kitchen, and Olivia turned back around smiling slightly.

"What?"

"They're going to meet up with Karen's boyfriend," She stated matter-o-factly, "The one that she hasn't told you or I about yet. She's trying to figure out how."

"Where do you get your information?" Fitz asked playfully.

"I'm a fixer," She said, "I read people, it's what I do."

"Hey, now it's just Gerry and Katelyn," He smiled as he leaned in and kissed her again.

"Mm, babe," She stopped him, "I'm exhausted."

"Ok," He replied as Jasper started to call from upstairs, "You go get off your feet. I'll get him."

"Thanks," She breathed as she headed off into the other room.

He went up the stairs and found Jasper's room, where he was sitting amongst his toys in the middle of the floor. The whole room was covered.

"Did you sleep at all?" Fitz asked him as he navigated through the toys.

"A little," He said, "Can I come out of my room now?"

"We've got to clean up first," Fitz chuckled, and Jasper pouted.

Fitz sat down on the floor with his son, and helped him start to pick up his toys and put them away on the shelves that lined the walls. The last thing Jasper picked up was his teddy bear. Fitz watched as he looked down at the bear for a minute, then turned to him.

"Daddy?"

"What's up, buddy?" Fitz asked as Jasper walked over and plopped himself down in his lap.

"I want my teddy to go to Dezzy," He replied, sadly, "He'll need it more than me."

Fitz smiled, and kissed the top of Jasper's head.

"Jazz, you don't have to give up your bear," He said, giving the little boy a big hug, "Your mom and I will buy Desmond all his own toys. You don't have to give up any of your toys, ok?"

"Really?" Jasper's eye was on a car that he had just put on the shelf, "But Gerry gave me his racecar."

"That's because Gerry was done playing with it," Fitz tried to explain to him, "Gerry's a lot older than you. He doesn't play with toy cars anymore. You're still playing with your bear."

"Ok," He replied and climbed out of Fitz's lap to firmly place his bear on his bed – just as Fitz's phone rang.

"Hello?" Fitz answered, as Jasper went to leave the room – he stopped him with one arm.

"Hey, Mr. President," said a familiar voice, "It's Henry Collins."

"Oh, hey," Fitz replied, it was the man that was writing his biography, "What's going on? Do you need anything?"

"I was just wondering if you could come by the office for a couple minutes," He replied, his office was towards the center of town, where he owned a book shop.

"Sure," Fitz replied, "When're you there til?"

"Five," He replied and Fitz had to listen hard over Jasper's protests – he brought him into a one armed hug.

"I'll try and be there as soon as I can," Fitz assured him, and hung up the phone.

"Daddy! Why can't I go?" Jasper asked.

"Mommy's resting," Fitz told him, "Desmond's making her tired. Why don't we get you into your swimmies? And you can go swimming with Gerry and Katelyn."

He pulled out Jasper's swim trunks and got him all set to go into the pool, then picked him up and carried him downstairs for the sake of time. He set him down once they had gotten through the pool gate, and led him by the hand over to the pool. Gerry was floating casually in the water, and Katelyn was lying on one of the chairs in the sun.

"Hey, little man," Gerry said, standing up as he spotted them coming.

"Would you two mind watching him for a couple hours?" Fitz asked as Gerry came to help him into the pool.

"Of course not," Katelyn replied, getting up and going to sit on the edge of the pool, she loved Jasper.

"Thanks, Liv's taking a nap and I have to head into town for a little while," Fitz explained and Gerry nodded.

"Where's Karen?" Gerry asked curiously, as he helped Jasper stay upright and balanced in the water.

"She went to the mall with her friends." Fitz said and Gerry nodded.

"Hey Jazzy," Katelyn said happily, "Do you want to see if we can teach you how to swim?"

Fitz smiled, and backed away slowly – it was like he was already gone. He smiled, he was lucky to have such a good kid in Gerry, and Gerry was lucky to have Katelyn. He was proud of him, he was doing well in school, and while he could have picked a better major than Political Science, he was doing well for himself. Fitz walked back into the house and into the living room, where Olivia was resting. He knelt down beside the couch she was on, and brushed her hair back from her eyes, waking her up softly as he kissed her cheek.

"Fitz?" She smiled as her eyes flickered open.

"I have to run in and talk to Collins," He informed her, "I'm leaving Tom here with you and the kids. Gerry and Katelyn said they'd watch Jasper. I'll bring back dinner, do you want me to do anything while I'm in town?"

"Check on Harrison," She replied – she had been fielding calls and working from home, but was still worried about her business, "Get me a copy of the file on the new case."

"I'm sure he's got it under control," He replied, "But I'll stop by and surprise them."

"Thanks," Olivia yawned, and closed her eyes again.

"I love you," Fitz whispered, kissing her head and getting up.

He drove in with Agent Laur, which was always an awkward ride. Of all the agents that cycled through the house, Lauden had to be the most awkward. He worked the evening shift, so they didn't usually see him. Usually the agents just assisted them if they went out somewhere or something happened in the house. They usually stayed in in the evenings, with a minor exception of nights where he took Liv out to dinner or something. Usually on dates though, he took Tom – between whoever was on and the babysitter, Jasper was safe. However Tom was the best, and when he was leaving most of his family at the house, he left him there.

"Mr. President," said a passerby reporter as he stepped out of the car to head up to Collins' office, "Are you really going to be running again this year?"

"Not that I know of," Fitz replied, as he headed toward the steps, then paused, "Where are you from?"

"The Rock," He named the magazine from the grocery store.

"You guys got me in trouble for something I'm not even doing with my very pregnant wife the other night," He said good-naturedly and the reporter chuckled.

"But sir," the reporter continued, "Would you run again."

"I don't think that I'm ever going to get the ticket," He replied, with a smile, "Which is just as well because I'm about to have two kids under the age of fice."

"Thank-you, sir," The reporter went off and Fitz went into the meeting with Collins, "Have we come up with a name for the new little one yet?"

"It's supposed to be a surprise."

Apparently, Collins was working on the photo section of the project. The pages ever fifty pages that had pictures of what had happened in the previous pages. There were going to be ones from his childhood all the way up to Jasper, and the last picture was going to be the new baby. Once he was done reorganizing the photos, and reinforcing which ones were which nad in what order they should go – he left. Olivia's office was only a couple blocks down the road – so much to the contrary of what Laur told him, he walked the rest of the way down the street.

"Mr. President," Harrison wsa surprised when he walked in.

"She sent you to check in on us?" Abby was not pleased as he walked through the door.

"Is Olivia alright?" Huck popped out of his office – which was really more of a closet.

"Liv's fine, resting – getting impatient, but she's fine," Fitz assured him, "But she wanted me to stop by and pick up a copy of your current case."

"We've had it ready for days," Abby said, handing it over to him, "I was thinking that I was going to come visit her tonight."

"She's taking a nap now," He said, "She should be fine later. That's generally how it goes – she sleeps in the afternoon, then is wide awake around seven? Come by after dinner? Where's Quinn?"

"If she's on maternity leave, how come she sends you in for every single one of our case files?" Huck asked, "Isn't she supposed to be resting?"

"We're understaffed – Liv isn't here…" Harrison started off, "But there's no reason for her to worry, we've got it under control."

"Is this everything she's going to need?" Fitz asked, holding up the folder as he started to back out of the room – slowly.

"We've been updating it as we go," Harrison nodded as Huck left to go find Quinn., "And she'll call us, I'm sure."

"Very true," Fitz replied as he left the room, heading back outside.

He went back to the car and ran to Liv's favorite take out place. He got enough Thai food foreveryone, then ordered something for Jasper. He wasn't quite to the point where he was as in love with Thai as his mother was, so whenever they had it – they had to get a side of chicken fingers for him.

"Thai?" Gerry, Katelyn, and Jasper were playing basketball in the driveway with Tom when Fitz pulled up.

"Here, take it into the kitchen," Fitz handed it to him as Katelyn picked Jasper so that he had an actual shot at getting it into the basket.

"Yum," Gerry replied as he carried the bag inside, leading the rest of them.

"That smells amazing," Olivia said as she walked into the kitchen to meet them.

"Why don't you guys go change out of your bathing suits," Fitz said, as Gerry put the food on the counter, then headed off, "We'll eat out on the deck."

"C'mon, Jazz," Olivia took him by the hand and up the stairs as Fitz carried everything out to the deck, and set up the table.

He put Jasper between himself and Gerry, cutting up his chicken into enough smaller pieces so that he wouldn't choke.

"Hey, dad," Gerry said as he sat down in his usual seat, and started piling his plate with food.

"Easy," Fitz teased him as he sat down himself.

"So, are you going to run again, dad?" Gerry asked casually, and Fitz just kinda looked at him, "My Contemporary Politics class spent the entire second half of the semester discussing whether you should or not."

"And what'd you guys come up with?"

"The country's a mess under Hilt," Gerry pointed out, "And the country still absolutely adores you. You'd win it in a walk, well anyone would – but especially you. Of course, I stayed quiet, but they brought up the fact that you're retired. You've got a kid, a new family. You could be a completely different guy – which you are, you're a lot more relaxed and a lot happier than you were then."

"You didn't contribute at all?"

"Not really," He replied, sighing, "But, you should have seen the girls in the class when you and Liv announced that the baby was on the way. I confirmed that she really was pregnant, but that was about it. That's why we were so secretive when you, Liv, and Jasper came to visit."

"We stayed at a hotel the whole weekend," Fitz laughed.

"Seriously, Dad," Gerry said, "Don't politician me. Are you going to run again?"

"I hadn't thought about it," Fitz said truthfully, "I'm content here, with Jasper, and Liv, and my life's going to get exciting enough without running. But if I get a nomination, it'll definitely be a conversation. First with Liv, then the whole family."

"Don't do it dad," Gerry said, "Being the kid of the president sucks. Jazz and Dez are going to have enough on their plates with an ex-president being their dad. Karen and I barely saw you for four years. Mom shipped us off to boarding school so she wouldn't have to look after us – which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but…Things were good when you were governor, that's what I'm after."

"I didn't want to send you guys away," Fitz replied, "That was all your mother."

"What about Liv?" He asked, "She won't be able to be a fixer anymore – how long was she waiting in the background while you were having your career?"

"That's why it would be a discussion," Fitz replied as Olivia walked in, Katelyn carrying Jasper.

"I wanna sit next to Daddy and Gerry," Jasper demanded.

"Want to," Olivia corrected him as Katelyn put him down and he ran over and climbed up onto the chair.

"Way ahead of you, sport," Fitz said as they all got to sitting down.

"How're they fairing?" Olivia asked him, and he nodded.

"They didn't seem panicked," Fitz said, "I put the file on your desk."

"Thanks," Liv said, leaning over and kissing the side of her husband's head as his phone rang in his pocket.


	3. Beg and Plead

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews and love for this story... I appreciate them... hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Second Time Around

Chapter Three: Beg and Plead

He ignored it, he had ignored the call as he sat down to dinner with his family. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, saw that it was Cyrus, and hit ignore. He prayed to God that it wasn't what he thought it was. He avoided the looks that he was getting from around the table and focused in on his meal. He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to deal with it. He didn't want to be faced with the temptation, he was comfortable, and didn't know what would happen if this nomination would become a reality, all he could think about was what Gerry had just said to him. He was right, Olivia had let him have his career, accepting any sort of nomination for President would completely destroy hers. She couldn't do her job and be the first lady – it wouldn't work.

"Jasper Oliver Grant," It was Olivia's stern mom voice that pulled Fitz out of his own mind.

He looked around to realize that his three year old had apparently dipped several pieces of his chicken in ketchup, and was throwing them across the table at Gerry and Katelyn. Dinner as they knew it was completely over. Gerry was handing a napkin to Katelyn, and Jasper was reloading, getting ready to aim at his mother.

"Not so fast, sport," Fitz sniped him up and made him drop his ammo onto his plate.

Fitz carried Jasper into the house, and the three others followed him. Gerry started loading the dishwasher with Katelyn as Karen walked in.

"What happened to you two?"

"Jasper decided to start a food-fight," Fitz commented, as he helped him wash his hands in the kitchen sink.

"Babe, can you give Jasper a bath and put him to bed?" Olivia asked.

"It's not my bedtime," Jasper replied and Olivia looked at him sternly.

"You're being punished, you're going to bed early," She told him, "You know better than to throw food at the dinner table."

"No," He pouted as Fitz felt a tantrum coming on and got him better restrained – as his phone started ringing again.

He walked over and set Jasper down on the shag rug in the next room so that he could ride out his fit. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, once again it was Cyrus – and he turned off his phone. He set it down on the counter, avoided the eyes of Karen and Liv, Gerry must have left to take Katelyn home. He walked back out of the room without a word and went back to get Jasper from the floor in the other room where he had started to cry – this was just as Abby walked into the front door.

"It's ok, Jazzy," Fitz tried to sooth him, "We're going to get you a nice bath, you can calm down – and I'll read to you, ok?"

"Can we play first?" Jasper asked and Fitz took a deep breath.

"We'll get out the bath toys," He told him, and he smiled.

"My water wheel?" His smile grew and Fitz nodded.

"We'll get the bubble bath out too," He told him.

Fitz carried him into his room and set him down – tossing him a towel.

"I'm going to go run the bath," Fitz told him, "You get yourself ready for it, ok?"

"Ok, Daddy," He said with a little smile.

Fitz went and turned the water on in the tub, putting a little bit more bubbles in than usual. Then he went under the cabinet and threw in a few of Jasper's favorite bath toys – carefully suctioning the wheel to the wall as Jasper walked in all cuddled up in his towel. It had a hood that was a dinosaur – which he had on as he walked in.

"Rawr," He said, and Fitz chuckled, "I scared you, daddy."

"Sure did," He smiled as he picked him up, and put him in the tub.

Fitz sat on the closed toilet as Jasper played happily with hit bath toys, the water wheel, and every single one of the toys. Fitz was undoubtably the more carefree parent, which only made sense. Eventually, Jasper would realize that it wasn't socially acceptable to throw food at the table, he would just do it faster this way. He wasn't worried about him. Besides, particularly that night he had a lot on his mind. He let him play while he mulled everything over in his brain.

"Is this bath time or play time?" Olivia asked as she scooted into the bathroom, and spotted Fitz sitting in the corner – she put his phone on the counter, then added playfully, "How is anything I try and discipline him on going to stick if daddy's there to make it all better? He's going to hate me. "

"I don't hate you mommy," Jasper said indignantly, and Fitz looked at Liv.

"See, you're fine," He replied, cracking a smile.

"He's starting to prune."

"I'm on it," Fitz said standing up and kissing her softly., "Go, hang out with Abby."

"Ok," She said and Fitz nodded as he knelt down to wash Jasper's hair for him.

The bubbles did the rest of the bulk of the work for him. He finished washing him up, then had him stand as he drained the tub. He smiled as he took the towel in his wing span, and hugged Jasper with it, holding him as he dried him off. He slipped his PJs on him, over his head. Then he carried him downstairs.

"Somebody needs goodnight kisses," He said, carrying Jasper down to where Olivia was sitting with Abby in the living room.

"Damn you're lucky," Abby commented and Olivia smiled, as he set their son in her lap, "Sexy, powerful, and adorable with kids."

"Abby," Olivia said, glad that what she had said had gone over son's head – but couldn't exactly disagree, "Good night, Jasper. I'm sorry I had to yell at you today, do you still love me?"

"Yes," He said.

"More than Daddy?" Olivia smiled, and Jasper shook his head, "Well, I tried. It's ok, I love Daddy too. Sweet dreams, Jazz."

"Good night mommy," He said and Fitz scooped him back up.

"Say good night to crazy Auntie Abby," Fitz instructed, and he did just as Fitz headed back towards the kitchen to the stairs – and someone knocked on the door, "I've got it."

He shifted Jasper onto his hip and walked over to the door. Jasper held onto him tight as he leaned over and grabbed the knob. He opened it up wide to see none other than Cyrus Beene, accompanied by Tom, standing in the doorway.

"What're you doing here?" Fitz was instantly angry – which Jasper sensed, causing him to dig his little fingers into Fitz's shoulder.

"Well, you wouldn't answer my calls," Cyrus said, and Fitz just looked at him, "So I figured I'd stop by."

"I'm busy," Fitz told him, nodding towards Jasper, "It's Jazz's bedtime."

"Can I wait?" He asked, "I need to speak with you, Mr. President."

"Wait out back," Fitz told him, "Don't let Liv see you."

"Fine," He replied as Fitz closed the door in his face.

He brought Jasper up to his room and set him into his bed just as he started yawning.

"Daddy, who was that?" He asked as Fitz pulled a chair up to the side of his bed.

"An old friend of mommy and I's," Fitz answered, which Jasper seemed to accept, "What story do you want to hear tonight, buddy?"

"Sleepy Bugs!" He said, and Fitz smiled, grabbing the book he knew by heart from Jasper's nightstand bookshelf.

Fitz barely got halfway through the book and Jasper was fast asleep. He smiled as he set the picture book down and tucked him in carefully. Olivia had read somewhere that the children who were read to until they fell asleep did better on average in school, even if it was the same book. It made sense, and therefore Jasper had been read to every night since the night he was born. Fitz had been the one insistent that it was a family member who did it, either him, Liv, a grandparent, Gerry, Karen, or an aunt or an uncle. Fitz took one last look at his son, leaving only his little night light on as he left the room with a heavy sigh.

They would send Cyrus. He felt like he was in a bad mob movie – and they were coming to collect. They were coming to collect something that he didn't want to give them. He liked his life – he liked being 'daddy' and taking care of his family – from home. He liked being able to spend the day with his son – something that he would never have been able to do with Gerry and Karen. It wasn't that the nomination was the worst thing in the world, he could be happy being President again – it's just he didn't want to. He liked the way things were. He didn't want to give up his son, his sons, Olivia. He liked the way life was now, it was everything that he had promised her, everything that he wanted.

He got to the bottom of the stairs, and Olivia was waiting for him. He took a minute to take her in, how beautiful she was in the moonlight as it streamed in through the window. Her perfect little baby bump that was housing his son. She hadn't lost her figure one bit in either pregnancy, she held them right in the front – from the back you would never even know she was pregnant. She smiled up at him – and he grinned.

"Where're Abby and Karen?" He asked.

"Karen went to her room a while ago," She replied, "Abby got a call from Harrison, and Gerry's not home from bringing Katelyn home."

"Really?" He asked, like he was shocked as he wrapped his arms around her loosely.

"Abby's right, you know," Olivia told him, wrapping her arms up around his neck, "I am – incredibly lucky."

He smiled, leaning in and kissing her softly.

"I love you so much," He told her.

"Well, I'm going to bed, you coming?" She smiled mischievously as she kissed him teasing his tongue.

"Is that wise?" His hand went to her stomach.

"It hasn't hurt him yet,and the doctor's have all said it's fine," She replied, "We just have to be careful."

"Ok," He said, kissing her forehead, "There's just a little thing that I have to take care of first, ok?"

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Mr. President," She smiled, and he kissed her again before watching her walk up the stairs.

Fitz took another deep breath, wishing that he could just follow her up – forget about Cy waiting for him in the backyard. He opened the back door, and let him into the kitchen.

"Figures they would send you," Fitz commented as Cyrus made his way into the kitchen, "You want anything to drink?"

"I'm fine thanks," Cyrus said, "I assume you know why I'm here. I assume that's why you've been avoiding my calls."

"I'm not doing it, Cy," He replied, "I'm not going to run. I like my life, the way it is right now. I have Liv, I have a life."

"And you're satisfied with that, truthfully?" Cyrus said, "Putting your son to bed and reading him stories every night? Waiting for Liv to pop out your other one?"

"I am," Fitz replied, "I'm happy, Cy. Something that I didn't even think was possible four years ago. I hated every moment that I spent in the White House."

"It won't be the same this time around," Cyrus replied, "You're not going to lose Liv just because you run. You can still tuck your son in, you can still be this guy. You only have one term left. Jasper'll be what, seven when you're done, the new one'll only be four."

"And I will miss all of the first four years of his life," He replied, "Jasper's used to having me around – he's never even had a nanny."

"No you won't miss his life," Cyrus replied, "The country is in trouble, Mr. President, or have you been so busy being happy that you haven't been reading the headlines? You are happy, sir, but you're in the minority with that. The country is nearly destroyed, and the people are calling for you. They need you, Sir. This is your chance. You have your life together now, you can do IT and have everything you ever wanted – do things right this time around."

"I barely saw Gerry and Karen all four years I was in office," Fitz argued, "I love my country, but my family needs me more…"

"You never saw them because Mellie sent them away to boarding school," Cyrus replied, "You've played house-husband for what four years? Olivia won't ship them off."

"What about Liv?"

"She wouldn't love being the first lady?"

"Oh c'mon, Cy," He replied, "We both know Liv isn't like that. She let herself be hidden for four years while I had my career – then all the maternity leave from the boys. I can at least allow her to have hers now."

"Do I get a say in this?" Olivia's voice entered the conversation from over by the foot of the stairs.

"Liv," Fitz breathed as Cyrus seemed to back off – pleased with himself.

"Can you talk some sense into him, Liv?" He said, "The country's a mess – we need him to fix it – we need both of you, actually. I'll go now – James is waiting for me. Good night."

"Liv, I don't want to do it," He said, as soon as Cyrus left the house, "I don't need it. I like our life here. I don't-"

"That's fine, if you don't want to do it, you don't have to," Olivia replied, wrapping her arms around him softly, looking up at him, "But you're not using me as an excuse, not again. Cyrus is right, it would be different this time. I wouldn't have to hide, you could still be 'daddy' I know you're afraid you're going to lose track of Jazz and Dezz, but you don't have to. We could make it work, if you wanted to do it. Cyrus's right – it's only four years. I could shut down Pope and Associates for four years – I could work with you, I could take care of the kids, and I could be first lady – if that's what you want to do. I have plenty of time for Pope and Associates. That is, as long as we can find places for the team."

"I don't know," He replied, and Olivia nodded.

"Ok, well you have a little time to decide," She replied, and he nodded.

"You'd really be ok?" He asked.

"Don't take me into your consideration," She replied, "It wouldn't be the same as before – we could still be together, and the boys wouldn't be sent away. Just think about it, ok? You've given me everything you've said you would, I can do this for you if it's what you want."

"I'll think about it," He said, and she smiled.

"That's all I ask."

"Not right now though," He smiled mischievously, as he pressed his forehead up to hers, "There's only one thing on my mind just now."

"Oh, is that right?" Olivia smiled as he ran his hand down her side – sending currents through her spine, "Let's go take care of that, shall we?"


	4. Family Matters

A/N: You guys are seriously giving the best reviews! Keep it up! And, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Second Time Around

Chapter Four: Family Matters

Olivia was sitting in the backyard the next morning reading her book while Jasper played. He was apparently pretending to be a pirate, sailing his swing play set that was currently doubling as a pirate ship across the lawn. She smiled lovingly as he went down the slide, pretending to have been slain by an imaginary opposing pirate. She put her nook aside and picked up the case file as he climbed back up to the deck.

She looked up to check on him occasionally, and soon saw Fitz, Gerry, and Karen coming out of the woods far behind where Jasper was playing. There was a trail at the edge of the lawn that led back to the stables, where the family's four horses were. They paid a man to live back there and keep an eye on them – that was the one area in which they had a household staff.

Olivia smiled, checking her husband out over the top of the case folder as he headed towards her. His hair was not perfectly placed as it usually was, leaving him looking a little windswept from riding. He was dressed much more casually then usual, in a pair of old jeans, work boots, and a t-shirt. She hadn't even realized that he had owned one other than the Navy one she sometimes wore to bed. Damn, did he look good as he ran his hand back through his hair, and her stomach did flip flops – or maybe that was just the baby moving.

"How's my horse?" Olivia asked, she wasn't allowed to ride at this point, but she occasionally went out to visit her.

"She's fine," Gerry assured her as Fitz went straight over and grabbed onto the bars of Jasper's deck – reaching through and tickling him, "She looked a little lonely, so dad rode her."

"I think she misses you," Karen sat in the seat beside her, pulling her knees up to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.

"I miss her too," Olivia admitted, as she put the case folder underneath her book.

"I believe this one belongs to you," Fitz teased as he carried Jasper over, upside down.

"Put him right side up," Olivia laughed, and Fitz rotated the laughing child back around.

Gerry was starting to loom in the background as Fitz set Jasper down in the grass gently. Karen popped up from her seat, and started chasing Jasper around the yard in the near vicinity.

"And how are you doing, my love?" Fitz said grandly as he walked over and around behind her, massaging her shoulders.

"Fitz," She smiled as he leaned in and kissed the side of her neck briefly, "You seem like you're in a good mood today."

"And why wouldn't I be?" He smiled as he plopped down in the newly vacated seat beside her.

"I don't know," Olivia replied, "You just seem overly cheery."

"It's a good day," He told her, smiling, and she just sort of looked at him like she didn't know what to say, "I gotcha."

He caught Jasper as he attempted to run by him, and Karen laughed as she watched her little brother struggle.

"No fair! No fair!" The little boy protested.

"I think it's pretty fair," Fitz teased him, but let him go, "Ok, I say we do something that we can all do now. Who's up for a swim?"

"Sure," Karen said, as Jasper attached himself to her leg, "C'mon Jazzy, I'll help you change."

She scooped him up and was off as Fitz stood up, helping Olivia up as soon as he was.

"C'mon, Gerry," Fitz said, glancing over at his oldest son, "What's up with you? You've been in a cloud all morning."

"Why was Cyrus here last night?" Gerry asked it as if it had been bugging him all morning, "I saw him pulling out of the driveway as I pulled in."

Fitz took a deep breath, and Olivia sat up, putting a hand on his knee. She knew that this idea would not be popular with Gerry. He had had a really hard time while his dad was in office. Not only did it happen to coincide with his very awkward stage, of being eleven to fifteen – his mother had shipped them off. She wasn't entirely sure, but she knew that he and his mother still had a very complicated relationship over it, too. Gerry had had the misfortune of being in the limelight as an awkward teenager, and his awkward phase had been a little worse than most everyone else's, she remembered it. Karen had gotten away with being more of a princess than a first child, she was ten and adorable when Fitz had been elected.

"He came to tell me that the party wants me to run for president again," Fitz told him slowly.

"So that's why you're so happy?" Gerry asked, "Because you get your job back? You don't have to be this guy anymore?"

"No," Fitz said, "That's not what I said. I love who I am now, believe me – that's why I'm so happy today. I don't want anything to change, which is why I don't think I'm going to accept."

"But you're thinking about it," Gerry replied.

"I am," Fitz told him, "It wouldn't have to be the way it was last time. We're not going to send anyone away, and we're not going to do anything until I decide whether or not I even want to do it in the first place."

"So you're going to decide, and get back to us," Gerry was getting angry, he looked to Olivia for help, "You're ok with this? You want your sons growing up in the spotlight?"

"Gerry, you need to calm down. Take a deep breath," She told him, "My boys are already growing up in the spotlight. Jasper's picture has been in People more times than my own. Our family picture is on the cover of magazines in the grocery store. I had to call everyone the second I found out I was pregnant the second time because the press managed to announce it before I got to tell anyone but your dad. Jasper is three and has people commenting and writing blogs about his style - something tells me that's not going away whether or not he runs or not."

"Let's not fight about this," Fitz said, looking from his wife to his son, "I promise, I'm not going to make a decision lightly, and I'm not going to do it without taking everyone into consideration."

There was silence after that, and they eventually headed up to the house to get changed for the pool. Fitz's mind was spinning and spitting. He didn't want to run, for his own selfish reasons. He knew that he should – that that was what the people wanted. His family would suffer, he knew that – and that was what was holding him back, that was why he didn't want to do it. Personally, he didn't really care either way, but his loyalties were leaning towards his family.

"Can you help me tie my suit?" Olivia asked as he walked in, and he nodded.

"Of course," I said, going over behind her to tie her straps for her, "I'm sorry about all this. You don't have to stick up for me."

"What're you going to do?" She asked, as she turned back around, looking straight up at him.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to," He told her, wrapping his arms around her, and she nodded – she knew that much, "But I don't want to ruin what we have now. I don't want anything to change from the way it is now with you, with the kids. It's not like it's something that I feel as I'm obligated to do – I've been there, done that. Now I'm here doing everything else that I've ever wanted."

"You can't have both," She told him, running her finger tips down the side of his face, "You can be president and we can stay a family. But we won't be able to be one were you tuck Jasper in every night and read him a story. You're right, it won't be the same as it is now. But you will still see Jasper and Desmond, even if it's over skype and you're on business. Do you really think that I would let you go a day without seeing either of them? As a family, I think we can do it. Gerry had some good points, but we're a family now. Like I told you last night, it's not like it was last time. You're the father of a much stronger family. If you want this, we can talk to the kids about it – and we can figure it out."

"You think so?" He asked.

"I know we can do it," She told him, "It's four years, Fitz. I don't want you passing it up because you're afraid that the family will fall apart. Besides, we're already followed almost everywhere we go anyways – "

"Is there any way you would support me not taking it?" He asked, chuckling, and she smiled.

"If you're not doing it because of stress, because you just don't want to, or because of some other random reason," She replied, and he nodded.

"You won't accept that I just want to raise my children?"

"We can work it out so that you don't have to choose between your job and your children, Fitz," She said, "This the twenty-first century. Moms work too now, you know."

"Let's see what Karen thinks when we get down to the pool?" Fitz replied, going over to his dresser, stripping down – he felt Olivia's eyes on him – and throwing on his swim trunks, and turned around, "You were just staring at me naked."

"I've been staring at you all day," She replied, "Regardless of how much clothing you have on. You didn't give me much of a choice after last night."

"Livy," He smiled, walking back over and taking her into his arms, "Takes two to tango."

"Yes, but I look like a beached whale."

"That's not a comparison I would ever make," He smiled, his eyes flicking down – then back to her face.

"Good," She smiled, then added comically, "Because you'd be sleeping on the couch for a very long time."

"Liv! Dad!" Karen called from downstairs, "Are you guys coming or what?"

"We're coming," He called, taking Olivia's hand as he started to lead her towards the door.

They walked out into the sun to find that Gerry and Jasper were already in the pool. Olivia sat down on the edge as Fitz walked around to the deep end, Karen in toe. The two of them stood on the edge.

"You go first," Karen told him, and he shook his head.

"You go first," He teased her, then went over, "I could push you in."

"No," She shrieked, and he chuckled as he dove into the water himself.

"C'mon," He called back to her, popping up a few feet away from where Olivia's feet were in the water, "The water's nice."

"Dad," Gerry said, trying to help Jasper afloat as he was trying to swim to Fitz.

"Let him go, Gerry," He said, once they were a few feet away, "Let him try and swim."

"Gerry," Olivia raised her voice, and Gerry nodded.

"Sorry dad," He said, lifting Jasper out of the air and handing the toddler, swimmies and all, to his father.

"He would have been fine," Fitz said as Karen dove in, popping up beside Gerry.

"Well," Fitz said, as he hunched over and let Jasper onto his back, "Since we're all here. I want to talk to you all about something."

Gerry's face fell, and Karen narrowed her gaze. She looked from her older brother, to her father, to Liv.

"What's going on?" She asked, as Jasper splashed from Fitz's back to her – and she took him carefully.

"Cyrus stopped by last night," Fitz told her, shifting towards Olivia for support, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Did Uncle James come with him?" Karen asked, "How could you not tell me they came?"

It was always a mystery to Olivia why James got the "uncle" title, while Cyrus was just – Cyrus. It made sense, there wasn't much cuddly about Cyrus Beene, but James – he was more the nurturing type. The whole 'uncle' James thing had started while Fitz had been in the White House, so she had been about ten when she was first introduced to the children starved James, who immediately took both Karen and Gerry under his wing.

"James didn't come," Fitz replied, "Though I'm sure he and Cyrus'll be at the cookout on Saturday."

"Yes, but so will everyone else," Karen replied and Fitz nodded.

"Well, Cyrus came to tell me that I've gotten a nomination to run for President again," He said and Karen stopped, paused in her tracks as she exchanged a side glance with Gerry.

"Are you gonna do it?"

"I've been discussing it with Liv, since last night," He replied, "Before that I hadn't given it much thought. From what I understand of what she thinks, she thinks that it would be ok. Not ideal, but it's four years and I'm done. I can't run again even if I wanted to. Gerry's already put his thoughts in, he doesn't think it's a good idea. I was wondering what you thought."

"What I think?" Karen asked, and she took a deep breath, "I think you should go for it, Dad. As long as it's what you want."

"I'm not sure if it is what I want," He told her, truthfully.

"Well, honestly? I think you're a completely different man than you were when you were in office last time, daddy," She said, and he nodded, "I love this family – with you and Liv and Jasper, and I think you do too. I don't think you would risk losing all of this. I think you could do it – have both. I know what Gerry's concerns are – but I think that you, we, could do it. I mean, the country is in the shitter, and you guys are the ones on the covers of the magazines. I think it's a good idea, honestly."

"Well, I just got out-voted," Gerry just kinda sunk into the water up to his neck.

"Not so fast, Gerry," Fitz told him, shaking his head a little, "I'm still not sure it's best. So, here's what we'll do. I'll wait. I'll wait until I absolutely have to respond, and until then anyone can come to me and change their mind. I'm sure I'll be flip flopping the whole way. And if I do end up accepting, Gerry – or anyone else, at any time during the campaign you feel like I'm slipping, I withdraw."

"Seriously?" Gerry said and Fitz nodded.

"I'll go for it and if it gets to the point were, as a family, we're not doing as well – I'll withdraw," He promised, "No matter how much Cyrus complains – or how far ahead in the polls I am. The four – five - of you are more important to me than anything else in the world. And, no matter what – I'm not giving any of you up. I'm not going to compromise my family, no matter how nice the office is. Does that sound fair?"


	5. Take Care, Beware

A/N: I wanted to thank you all for sticking with and enjoying this story as much as I am It's a lot of fun to write… good to know you all are enjoying it too. So, here we go…

Second Time Around

Chapter Five: Take Care, Beware

Fitz did one more round of the yard, on Olivia's orders, to make sure that everything was in place. They had just sent Gerry out to get more ice, and more burger buns. Olivia was in the house with Karen and Jasper putting the finishing touches on some pasta salad that Olivia had a recipe for. Everything else they were ordering out for, except of course the burgers, which it had become tradition for him to cook himself. Their summer kick-off party was relatively exclusive, so he could do this – there were only about fifty guests, most of whom were family. He was walking around the side of the house as Olivia's parents' car pulled into the driveway. He waved as he walked over.

"Fitz," Her mother smiled as she climbed out of the passenger seat, handing him a plate of what looked like chopped up fruit – he couldn't tell because of the saran wrap.

"Hey, Layne," He smiled as he took it, and helped her out of the car.

"I'm not ancient, yet, Fitz," She chuckled, accepting his help as she straightened out, "Now where is my grandbaby?"

"He's in the kitchen, with Liv and Karen," Fitz told her, and she scrambled off into the house as Olivia's father got out on the other side, "Hello, sir."

He didn't get a response, but that was fine because he wasn't expecting one. Mr. Pope, Governor Pope, Olivia's dad – didn't talk to him unless Olivia was sitting right with them and he absolutely had to. Fitz wasn't entirely sure how this worked out, he knew that her father didn't particularly like him, and just assumed that he wanted to make it seem like he didn't absolutely loath him in front of his princess. They had an unspoken truce so that neither of them would end up upsetting her. He waited for Jackson Pope to unfold himself from the car, and then followed Layne to the door, carrying the fruit tray. He kept the door jarred open for Olivia's father as they all walked in, and towards the kitchen.

"Mom," Olivia's whole face lit up as she went over to hug her as Fitz put the fruit on an open space on the counter.

"Darling girl," Layne smiled, taking her into her embrace, carefully, "How's that new grandson of mine?"

"He's not giving me too much trouble today," Olivia replied with a smile, one that nearly put Fitz into a daze all by itself.

That was, of course, until he caught the look he was getting from Jackson out of the corner of his eye. He was saved from having to answer to it, even if it was silently by Jasper running into the room, Karen chasing him. He ran right to Fitz, attached himself to his leg, and started climbing. Fitz leaned down and picked him up. He settled him on his hip, holding him there with one hand as he started to tickle him with the other.

"I see Karen's been helping you greatly?" Fitz said, as he handed Jasper off to Layne.

"She's been keeping him occupied," Olivia leaned up for a kiss, which he very eagerly gave to her.

"We talked to your brother on the way over," Jackson said as he came into the room, going over to take Fitz's space and kissed Olivia on the head, "He said Samantha's not feeling well, but he'll be over for a little while with the girls."

"Hey, Daddy," She smiled, and Fitz took a seat at the table, where Layne was sitting with.

"That's too bad that Samantha's not feeling well again," Fitz commented, "Is it just her treatments?"

"We think so," Layne said, "Poor girl."

"That's too bad," Fitz said, as Jasper reached for him, and he took him from Layne.

"She must be almost done with her treatments, right?" Liv said, turning around and leaning against the counter, her hand on her stomach.

"Daddy," Jasper said, clinging to Fitz's chest.

"What's up, sport?" Fitz looked down at him adoringly.

"I wanna go in the pool."

"I can't take you in right now," He told him, "We're having a party. I can go in with you later – maybe Gerry can take you in when he gets home?"

"Where is Gerry?" Layne asked, pulling two envelopes from her purse.

"He went to grab a few things at the store, and pick his girlfriend up," Olivia filled her in.

"Well," She handed one envelope to Karen, "Just a little money for you two to do something fun. You've earned it."

"Aw, thanks, Mrs. Pope," Karen said, and then she handed her Gerry's too.

"Make sure your brother gets his too," She said as the doorbell rang.

Fitz soon found himself wandering around a backyard full of people, stopping to talk and chat with a few as he walked. Jasper, the neighbor's kid that was about his age, and a couple of Fitz's younger sister, Nichole's kids were playing in the pool – watched over by Gerry and Katelyn who were in there with them. Karen was sitting with a few of her friends up on the porch, and Olivia was surrounded. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to try and get to her. Her mother, his mother, Nichole, Abby, Quinn, James, Judge Thornton, and Huck – who was watching over her like a guard dog, they were all talking and laughing, and he decided not to disturb them.

His own father, however – he had been attempting to avoid all afternoon. He was currently sitting around with Jackson, Cyrus, and Hollis. He had dubbed them the political sphere of the party, and had actually been avoiding every single one of them. He checked his watch, it was getting to be about noon, and the kids were all piling out of the pool and were off towards the swing set. He watched as Gerry locked the gate, and he and Katelyn joined the party.

"Need some help on grill duty?" Olivia's brother, Travis said, and he nodded.

"You read my mind," Fitz said, still watching his little political sphere – they looked like they were up to something.

"They're pretty terrifying, huh?" Travis said as Fitz broke his stare and led him up to the grill on the deck.

"How did you escape?" Fitz asked, it was a serious question – Travis had never done anything political, he was an art teacher at the high school.

"Escape what?" He asked as Fitz started up the grill.

"Not becoming a politican, or working in the realm of," Fitz replied, and he nodded.

"Very cleverly," He replied, "I made it seem to them that I would one day end up in a box on the side of the road, so when I turned out to be an art teacher they were ok with it. Liv, on the other hand, got the brunt of dad's hopes and dreams. I think that's why he hates you so much."

"I figured he just hated me for everything that I've put her through."

"That's why mom hated you – she doesn't anymore," He replied, "That's the sane option; he would have gotten over it by now."

"But She married me, so basically any political future she might have had is out the window," Fitz said, and Travis nodded.

"More like shot to hell," He replied, "Dad raised a pit-bull, she was his princess, but she was a pit-bull. Since she met you she started falling apart – by the time you two tied the knot, forget about it. Now his pit-bull has a little boy with your eyes and another one on the way. His pit-bull turned into a German shepherd – which is in his opinion basically a toy poodle because his pit-bull is picking out nursery room colors and baby comforters."

"She's happy though," Fitz said, looking over at her over the top of the grill, "She never wanted a political career other than fixing them."

"I know," He replied, "It's just dad. I just wanted you to understand a little better. He has nothing against you personally, it's just an exaggerated case of 'I can't believe this guy makes my daughter weak at the knees'. He's just not happy that he's lost his pit-bull, that's all."

"Mmm," Fitz said.

"But don't worry about it, Fitz," Travis said, "You take good care of my baby sister, you're a good man. It was bound to happen – and I'm kinda glad it was you, you're the only one that would get her attention."

"I'll be right back," Fitz left him with the spatula as he went over to the group, that only seemed to be growing around Olivia.

"What do you want on your burger?" He asked, sneaking up behind her, resting his chin on the back of her chair.

"I can get up and get it."

"No, they're not done yet," He replied, kissing her cheek.

"No cheese," She said, "And just a little bit of Ketchup. Jasper should be hungry soon – have you thrown on a hot dog for him yet?"

"It's cooking," He replied, "Salads?"

"Some strawberries," She said, "And potato salad."

"Ok," He said, and he stood up.

"Fitzgerald!" He heard his father call him from the circle – he knew it was coming, he couldn't avoid them forever, "Come over here."

"What's up, dad?" Fitz asked as he walked to what felt like his death.

"Come, sit."

"I'm on grill duty," Fitz replied.

"Travis can handle it for a few minutes," Jackson said, motioning to a chair beside him.

Fitz felt like a kid that had been sent to the principal's office as he sat down, joining the circle. He looked over at Travis, who gave him and understanding look. Suddenly he realized just how genius Travis was.

"So Cy's been telling us that you've gotten yourself a nomination," Hollis was the first one to speak.

"Yeah," Fitz said, then took a deep breath, "I'm not so sure I'm going to take it. I'm still thinking."

"What's there to think about?" It was his father that spoke up this time.

"There's a lot to think about," Fitz replied.

"What?" Cyrus said, "Olivia's behind you, she said so the other night."

"She's behind whatever I decide," Fitz corrected him as Jasper came running up to his side.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" He said.

"Yes, Jazz?" He hoisted him up as he stood.

"I'm hungry."

"Then let's go see if your hotdog's ready," He said, setting him down and letting him run over to the steps, following him over to the steps, which he had to go slower on.

Fitz scooped him up and carried him up the rest of the steps, setting him in a chair next to Karen.

"What do you think, Uncle Travis?" Fitz asked, grabbing two plates and heading for the grill, "The first batch done?"

"Yup," He replied, and Fitz opened up Olivia's bun, so that he could plop it right in.

He set the hotdog plain down on the plate, and Fitz set it down in front of Jasper, taking a knife and cutting it up for him before asking Karen to keep an eye on him. Then he went and fixed up Olivia's plate so that he could deliver that too. He grabbed her an iced tea on his way by, and then brought it right over to her, helping her set up shop.

"I can still move, Fitz," Liv teased him as he set the tea down on the table next to her.

"I know," He handed her her plate and kissed her forehead, "Jasper's got his hotdog, I cut it up, and Karen's sitting with him."

"Good," She said as she smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing," She replied, and he smiled.

He went back and worked the grill with Travis for a little while longer, serving up food until no one else wanted anything before they too sat down at the table and had a burger. Fitz looked around, seeing everyone happy and chatting – that was why he and Liv put on the cookouts – it was a chance to see everyone. Especially with the two sides, just to get everyone together for something that wasn't Jasper's birthday.

"Fitz," Jackson was standing behind him.

"Yes, sir?" He asked, looking over his shoulder, still holding his burger to his mouth – shocked.

"I'd like a word with you after you're done," He replied and Fitz shook his head.

"Jazz, you mind if I talk with Gramps for a little while before we head into the pool?" Fitz asked, popping the last little bite of burger into his mouth.

"That's fine," Jasper replied, imitating his father as he popped the last bit of his second hotdog into his mouth.

"We'll chat, won't we, Jasper?" Travis stepped in, giving his father a strange look as he ushered Fitz away from the table.

They walked out towards the backyard, where Tom met up with them. He casually followed behind them as they headed down the horse trail back towards the stables. Fitz was nervous, and they walked in silence. He had no idea where this was going. He figured that it had something to do with the presidential nomination, but wasn't sure exactly what was going on here.

"So what's on your mind?" He asked, "It's not really a secret that you don't really like me all that much. So, why the stroll, what do you need to talk to me about?"

"This nomination," He replied, "How serious are you about it?"

"I haven't quite made up my mind yet," Fitz said honestly, "I've been leaning towards running, but I'm waiting."

"For what?"

"Sir, it's not just me that'd be running, it's my whole family," He replied, "Meaning Jasper, and Desmond when he shows up. There little kids, sir, and they need their dad."

"They'll still have their dad," Jackson said and Fitz shook his head as they walked into the barn.

"They will," He said, "But not in the same way. They'll be growing up in the White House, not here. I built this house for them to grow up in. I promised your daughter a happy ending, with a husband who was there whenever she needed him. And, I want my two older children to finally have a little bit of peace."

"Olivia wants you to do it," Jackson pointed out, and Fitz nodded.

"She does, because she feels guilty," Fitz replied, "She feels guilty because I gave up my second term to be with her."

"And now the people are asking for you back," Jackson said, "There's only one president before you that has serve two non-consecutive terms."

"What it comes down to, sir," Fitz said, "Is I love your daughter, and I love our children, and I love my older two too. I don't want to give up anything about my life the way it is now. So, I'm going to run. I can't pass it up, I know that. But they're still going to be going first, above all else."

"So give Cyrus an answer."

"I won't until I have to," Fitz replied.


	6. Promises

Second Time Around

Chapter Six: Promises

Fitz took a deep breath, they were in a small room, all of them. Gerry was sitting across from him in a suit, and Karen was next to him in a little white sundress. Olivia had dressed them all for the day, and Jasper who was sitting on his lap was squirming in his outfit. He was not used to khaki's or the collared shirt and blazer that he had been assigned. He didn't blame him, he had forgotten how uncomfortable the expected wardrobe was. Olivia was sitting next to him, and he kept looking over sideways at her. She was just about hitting her nine month mark, and Desmond had yet to come into the world. He had been hoping by this point that Desmond would be there, but he clearly had his own schedule.

"You ok?" Fitz asked her and she nodded.

"Fine," She replied, "It's just hot."

"Here," He handed her his water.

"Daddy," Jasper complained, and Fitz looked down at him, "I don't like it."

"I know, Jazz," He said as lifted him up and pulled on the sleeves, "Just a few more minutes, ok? Then after we go out on stage, we're going home. Then you can relax, and hang around in your pajamas if you want, ok?"

"And Gerry and I are going to watch you while dad and your mom go out, ok?" Karen offered, getting up and taking Jasper from Fitz's lap, "It might be more comfortable if you're not sitting down."

"You sure you're ok?" Fitz asked, watching Olivia carefully as Karen took Jasper off to the other side of the room.

"A little uncomfortable, but nothing more than the past week," She replied, and he nodded, running his hand down the side of her arm.

"I'm sorry," He leaned over and kissed the side of her head.

"Mr. President," Cyrus nearly sang as he walked into the room, and suddenly Tom was on high alert, "It's time for you to go on. Everyone ready?"

"Just one second," Fitz said, and Karen came over and handed Jasper over to him – Cyrus looked at him disapprovingly.

"Wouldn't it be better to have Liv hold his hand?" Cyrus offered, "Or have one of the older children carry him?"

"I promised him," Fitz replied, setting Jasper down and grabbing his hand, "I promised him that he could stay with me all day until Liv and I head to the ball tonight."

"Fine," Cyrus replied, looking to Liv – he would be leaking that to the press, "Everyone ready, then?"

"Jazz," Gerry stooped down so that he was eye-level with his brother, "It's going to be loud, when we go out there, ok? Like a lot of fire trucks going by the house all at once, except it's going to be people, cheering. Don't be scared, just take deep breaths ok?"

"Ok," Jasper said, and Gerry looked around.

"That agent over there, his name's Agent Timlin," He told him, pointing to him in the corner, "You can call him T, and he's going to be just off stage. If you get scared and you really can't be out there anymore, you grab my hand – and I'll bring you over to him, ok?"

"Ok," Jasper nodded.

"But try and be brave, ok, Jazz?" Olivia said, smiling down at him.

"Yup."

"I think we're ready," Fitz told Cyrus, and he nodded as he led them out to a back hallway.

There were flashbulbs and the crowd was already starting to cheer as they assembled just off stage. Fitz offered his other arm to Liv and squeezed Jasper's hand lightly. Gerry and Karen flanked either side, Olivia, who had been planning everything wanted them up with them – they were in no way a second class part of the family – so there was no way that they were going to trail behind them. The idea hadn't even come up until Cyrus had suggested it during the planning stages – it hadn't gone over well. So there they were, presenting themselves as a family as they walked with Fitz to the podium, the crowd that was waiting was going nuts.

Jasper dropped his brother's hand as they stopped, Fitz in front of the podium, and tugged on the leg of Fitz's pants. Fitz looked down and him, and understood immediately, picking him right up and putting him on his hip as he leaned into the microphone, and the crowd settled down. Jasper was quiet, which Olivia was so greatful for as she put her arm around Karen.

"Good Afternoon, everyone," Fitz started out, "And I want to thank you all for coming out here today. I also want to thank you for all the support and love that America's sent our way the past few years. You've been very kind, and extraordinarily good to us, and we appreciate it. Now, we're here today, to announce that I accept the nomination for the Republican primaries. I will run, and I will be president again. And I will make it my mission to turn this country around, and be an even better president than last time, because you know what? My heart wasn't in the right place last time. I've got that all worked out now, and I am here with my family, to help yours. Because I know we can do better. Thank you."

He carried Jasper back off stage with Liv, Karen, and Gerry surrounding him. Cyrus very excitedly met him at the back door back out into the hallway, talking about what a good speech it was, thanking Olivia for helping him write it – but he was too zoned out to properly hear him. They went back to the room they had been in before, and Gerry and Olivia got Jasper out of his khaki's and into a much more comfortable nice pair of jeans while his jacket was just discarded.

"You all better?" Fitz asked as he ran back over to him, and he nodded, handing Fitz a bag that Olivia had handed him.

"Mommy said to give you this."

"I get to change too?" Fitz smiled, as the two older kids disappeared to change, "Thank God."

Jasper smiled, and Fitz walked with him over to Olivia who was sitting on the couch.

"You're not changing?" He asked and she shook her head.

"This is about as comfortable as it's going to get for me today," Olivia told him, setting her hand on her stomach.

"I forgot how many changes of clothes we went through campaigning," He said and she nodded, "Are you sure you're ok? We can skip the luncheon, the donors will understand. We can reschedule."

"It's ok, I'm fine, babe," She replied, "Go change so we can get down to the luncheon."

"Ok," He leaned in and kissing her softly, "I love you."

"I know," She replied smugly, and he chuckled.

The donor luncheon was outside, under a tent, at a country club not too far from the house. Fitz walked around and chatted up the people with Jasper up on his shoulders, which Cyrus wasn't shy about wanting to get on camera. They didn't stay long, saying that they were going home, that Olivia needed to rest before the ball benefit that evening. Something that Fitz was getting worse and worse feelings about. The last thing that he wanted to do was make Olivia – nine months pregnant – traipse around with him.

"Jasper, time for your nap," Olivia said as they walked back through the door, and Gerry and Karen went off to their rooms.

"C'mon, buddy," Fitz said, who still had him on his back.

He put Jasper, who was pretty exhausted – too exhausted to fight naptime, into his bed. He pulled his collared shirt off as he walked down the hall, his t-shirt was much more comfortable as he walked into his and Liv's bedroom. He kicked off his shoes as he smiled, seeing Liv – who had switched to a thin white cotton dress. She was also already asleep, her beautiful hair fanned out on her pillow. He crawled on top of the bed, and took her into his arms carefully.

"What're you doing?" She mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Shh," He breathed, as she snuggled into his chest, his fingers trailed circles on the small of her back, "I'm napping with you."

"No what're you doing?" She replied and he smiled.

"Loving you," He whispered back, kissing her temple.

"It feels great," She replied, "Don't stop."

"I don't think I can."

They slept for a few hours before they got up and were starting to get ready for the benefit. Gerry was downstairs cooking dinner for himself, Karen, and Jasper while they showered and were getting ready to go out.

"We're still not staying too long, are we?" Fitz asked as he was tying his dress shoes, "I don't want to wear you out too much."

"I'll be fine, Fitz," She replied as she walked over to him, "Can you zip me up?"

"Do I have to?" He teased as he stood up and did as she asked, "Need anything else?"

"I should be ok," She said, throwing a longing glance over to her line of high heels, then slipping on flats.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, picking up on her emotions with the ease that he always had with her.

"Nothing," She smiled up at him, fixing his tie.

"No, Livy, tell me."

"I'm happy," She replied, and he narrowed his gaze, "I get to dance with you, as my husband, in front of everyone, for a fundraiser."

His heart plummeted, all those times when Olivia had to watch him dance with Mellie at those types of things. All that attention and adoration that they had gotten from the press, the 'loving couple' remarks that Liv had to hear for years. Having to be in the background, on the sidelines without anyone knowing that he was her's, that he was all her's. He hated thinking about it, even thinking about it made him want to shoot himself.

"Livy," He pulled her into a hug.

"No, Fitz, it's ok," She replied, and he nodded.

"We're going to dance all night," He promised her kissing her forehead, "Until you're too sore to move and I have to carry you to the car."

She smiled as he took her hand, and started to lead her down the stairs. The kids were all sitting at the kitchen table, and they both did rounds of hugs. Fitz made a point of reminding Gerry of Jasper's bedtime, and to read him a story.

"I thought that you guys weren't staying long," Karen replied as they headed for the door.

"We probably won't," Olivia replied, "But, when's the last time we got to go out?"

"Very true," Karen said, "Don't worry – We've got Jazz under control."

"Thank you guys so much," Olivia said as she leaned over and kiss the top of Jasper's head, "Goodnight, baby."

"No problem," Gerry replied, "Have fun, you kids."

"Should we set a curfew?" Karen joked.

"She's already pregnant how much more damage can they do?" Gerry commented back and they couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Ok, that's enough," Olivia said, as Fitz wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Just be back before the drunks are on the road," Karen teased them, something she had heard Fitz tell Gerry a thousand times.

"Ok," Fitz smirked, leading Olivia out of the kitchen and out to the car that was waiting for them.

"You got me a Limo?"

"It comes with the acceptance," He replied, opening the back door for her.

The climbed into the car, and Fitz brought her feet up onto his lap, massaging her ankles, which weren't as swollen as they could have been. Once the driver pulled up to the Hall, Fitz waited for the secret service to open the door before he stepped out of the car. This was a bigger crowd than the one that had been there in the afternoon. He took a deep breath before he reached back into the car and helped Olivia out – which was when the Flashbulbs really started going off and they both waved to the crowd.

"Wow," Olivia said as they walked into the building, and they would be able to hear each other once again, "I don't think we're going to have to worry too much about the primaries."

"I don't even think that anyone else has accepted their nomination yet," He replied, then kissed her softly as they were announced to the ballroom full of people.

Olivia was smiling so wide that Fitz couldn't help but mirror it. He wondered vaguely if the press would pick up on how much happier he was this time around, or if he had done a good enough job acting. They sat down for dinner, and discussed everything from the policies he was planning to Jasper's bedtime. Fitz put a hand on Olivia's back as they took the plates away.

"You feeling alright?" He asked her and he nodded.

"I feel fine," She replied, and he put his hand on her stomach as he leaned in and pecked her lips.

"Now, we'd like to open the floor, with a first dance from our new candidate and his lovely wife," The band announced.

Fitz smiled as he stood up, taking Olivia's hand and kissing it before he wrapped his arm around her and brought her out to the dance floor. She put a hand on his chest, and the other up around his neck as he placed one one her hip and the other on the small of her back.

"Are we too close?" He chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"I think we're just fine," She replied softly, as the cameras flashed.

"I love you so much," He breathed, his eyes locked with hers.

"I love you," She said, pressing her face into his shoulder and he smiled as he pressed his cheek on top of her head.

"We'd now like to open the dance floor."

"We should call and check in on them," Olivia said, once the song was finished and he was repositioning for the second, "Make sure Jasper went to bed for them."

"Ok," Fitz replied, "Where's Cyrus? James!"

"Yes?" He came through the edge of the crowd.

"Hold my place while I check in on the kids?" He said, and James nodded.

"I can come with you," Olivia replied and Fitz shook his head.

"I've got it," He replied, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, "James, don't let her out of your sight. My wife's not dancing with anyone but me, you, or Cy this evening. She's too beautiful – I'm not sharing."

Olivia shot him a surprised look, then smiled as he went off to make the call. Which by the sounds of it they were just getting him to bed, which he reported back to Olivia as he reclaimed his place and James went off to find Cy who was apparently MIA. He danced, spinning her around the dance floor, and holding her close all night, until the ball was winding down, and they were saying goodbye.

"How're your feet?" Fitz asked as they went to their table to pack up and go.

"Killing me," She replied, as she just about collapsed into the chair nearest to her.

"Here," He said, handing her her purse.

"Thanks," she replied, taking it as she stood on wobbly feet.

"Oh, no you don't," He said kindly as he bent down and picked her up, bridal style.

"Fitz," she protested.

"I told you earlier that I would carry you to the car," He replied as Tom appeared beside him.

"Well let Tom carry me then," Olivia reasoned, "Don't hurt yourself trying to carry me."

"Hurt myself?" He questioned, "Liv, even with the baby you're still really light. I'm fine."

He loaded her into the car, and then gave a final wave to the press before climbing in beside her. She put her feet up on the seat in front of her, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Any stops on the way home?" The driver asked, and Fitz shook his head, Liv was already almost asleep in his arms.

"Just home," He replied and the driver nodded as he pulled out of the driveway.

He looked back down at the beautiful woman sleeping in his arms, and he smiled to himself, kissing the side of her hair – she always smelt so delicious. He took a deep breath, she was happy – the radio was on softly in the background.

"…In other news, President Grant had his nomination ball this evening, guests described it as a great party…insiders say that he and his wife were visibly in love, and he just about to refuse to leave her side all evening… understandable, what's she ten months pregnant now?"

Fitz chuckled a little to himself as he let his hand slip onto the baby. He looked up just in time to see the headlights coming straight for Olivia's window.


	7. Not Tonight

A/N: Hey everybody…I write when I'm stressed, so aren't you guys lucky that I had a pretty stressful night last night, lol… thanks for all the reviews…I'm so happy that so many of you are enjoying this story so much… hope you enjoy the chapter…

Second Time Around

Chapter Seven: Not Tonight

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The next noise that Fitz heard was the beeping of his own heart monitor. He had a splitting headache, and the fingers on his left hand were numb. His whole body was aching like he had been hit by a truck, which was probably not to far from what had actually happened. He opened his eyes and the room was dark, Gerry was sitting to his left, and he had oxygen running in through his nose. He looked down and realized that his left arm was in a sling, he could feel bandages pulling at his skin every few inches as he tried to move.

"Careful, dad," Gerry spoke up, "You lost a lot of blood, your neck got nicked in the crash – that's why you have that huge thing on the side of your neck."

"Where's Livy?" He asked and Gerry nodded solemnly,

"They have her in surgery," Gerry told him, "From what they told me, and what the driver remembers that broken arm saved her life. You threw it on the other side of her head, right? Well better your arm than her skull, right?"

"She's alive?"

"She is," He replied, "She didn't look good when they brought her in. The doctors brought an update not too long ago, they say she's critical but stable – whatever that means."

"The baby?"

"Eight pounds, seven ounces, and he's perfect," Gerry said, "They have him down in the nursery, he's fine. He was born in the ambulance on the way to the hospital if I understood what they told me correctly."

"Where're Karen and Jasper?"

"They're with him," Gerry replied, "You figured it would be best if Jasper didn't see you while you were out – you're kinda terrifying. Especially when you were out, you looked like – We didn't want to scare him."

"What the hell happened?"

"it was a car accident," Gerry told him, "A drunk driver hit the back of the limo on the way home. Tom went with the ambulances to the hospital, then came and got us at the house. The doctors told Karen and I when we got here that you had lost a lot of blood, they had closed up your neck, and that Tom had held your neck closed until the ambulance got there. Your arm's broken in quite a few places, and you got thrown around a bit – you have a grade three concussion."

"Liv?"

"Broken ribs, punctured lung, internal bleeding, mild concussion, and a broken leg," He replied, "Like I said, the punctured lung has been taken care of, they're working on the internal bleeding."

"My fingers are numb," He mused, and Gerry nodded.

"They said there might be some nerve damage," Gerry told him.

"Is there any way that these damn hospital beds can be put into a better position?"

"You want to sit up?" He asked, and Fitz nodded as he went and did it for him, "Ok, I'm going to go get your doctor so that he can check you out again."

"I'm fine," Fitz protested, "Go get the Karen and Jasper, then tell the nurse that I want the baby up here as soon as they can get him up here."

"Ok," Gerry said, leaving the room – just about as soon as he did, a doctor came in.

He checked Fitz's wound on his neck, and gave him a new bandage, then checked up on the swelling on arm and hand.

"Any numbness?" He asked and Fitz shrugged, or tried to.

"A little in my hand," Fitz told him, "Can I get an update on my wife?"

"She's still in surgery," He said, checking the blood bag that Fitz hadn't seen previously, "It's going to be a while – there seems to have been more damage than they thought. They're still listing her as critical, but she is stable, sir."

"What's that for?"

"You lost a lot of blood, sir," He replied, "We're just trying to help put some of it back."

"I want it gone before my son comes in," He replied, and the doctor nodded, "Will it be a big deal to take it away?"

"It's all nearly in," the doctor said as he disconnected it from his uninjured arm, "I'll take it away now. Anything else, sir?"

"See what you can find out about Liv?" Fitz said and he nodded, "Also, is there any possibility that after her surgery she can be brought here?"

"She'll have to be brought to recovery for a while, then we can see what we can do."

"Thank you," Fitz replied and the doctor nodded, "What about the drunk driver?"

"I can't reveal that to you, sir."

"He's alive?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is he critical?"

"I can't answer that, sir."

"Damn bastard's fine, isn't he?" Fitz spat, and the doctor slowly backed out of the room.

The doctor left Fitz alone for a few minutes, for which he stared up at the ceiling. How could this have happened? Why? Why was it Liv that was in surgery? In critical condition? Why wasn't that bastard in critical condition? Why wasn't he in critical condition? Olivia was the single most innocent person involved – except maybe for maybe Desmond. That was when he started to hear footsteps in the hall, with a slight rolling sound.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Jasper called from the hall, and it went through his head like a blade.

"Shh, Jazz," Karen whispered as they appeared in the doorway, "Daddy has a headache, remember, we have to be really quiet."

"Ok," Jasper replied, and Gerry picked him up as they walked in, and Fitz tried to scoot over.

Jazz was in his pajamas, like Karen or Gerry had plucked him right from his bed to bring him to the hospital. They must have been terrified when Tom showed up, presumably covered in his blood to pick them up. He took a deep breath and smiled, trying to put on a brave face for Jasper.

"Put him right up here with me," Fitz said, and Gerry set him down next to his uninjured arm, so that he could give him a hug.

"Daddy, why are you all beat up?" He asked, and Fitz exchanged looks with his two older children.

"I was in an accident," Fitz told him, and Jasper nodded solemnly.

"Are you going to be ok?" He asked, and Fitz nodded.

"I'm going to be just fine, Jazz."

"Where's mommy?" Jasper asked, "She would want to take care of you – like when I fell off my big wheel. And Des' here and everything."

Fitz took a deep breath and put his good hand on Jasper's shoulder.

"Jazzy," He said, pausing to take a breath, "Mommy was in the accident with me."

"She was?"

"She got hurt, more hurt than me," He told him softly, "But you know what? The doctors have her now, and they're going to take really good care of her, ok?"

"Is mommy going to be ok, dad?" He asked and Fitz took a deep breath.

"I hope so," He told him, "You have to send your prayers up for her though, ok?"

"Ok," Jasper said, "I'll pray for mommy."

"That's a good man," Fitz replied as the baby started to fuss.

Gerry scooted Jasper down towards the end of Fitz's bed as Karen scooped the baby out of it's little plastic crib – all wrapped up in his tiny little blanket. She tried to sooth him as she walked him over towards Fitz, and placed the baby boy so that Fitz could hold him with his good arm.

"I wanna see Mommy," Jasper said and Gerry nodded to his dad.

"We can't see her right now," Gerry tried to tell him, "But c'mon – let's go for a walk."

"I want my Mommy," He replied and Gerry nodded.

"I think I saw a play area, we can go there and play while we wait for her," He told him, picking him up and taking him from the room.

"He's beautiful," Karen said as Fitz finally got a good look at his brand new baby boy.

He was sleeping sound, and he struggled to position him a little better so that he could kiss the top of his head, Karen helped him.

"You gave us a really good scare, dad," Karen said, as she pulled up a chair next to him as he attempted to rock the baby.

"Did all his tests come back ok?"

"Yeah, he's perfect," She replied, "The doctors were so concerned about him – given the accident – but he's fine."

"There's a lot of blood on Tom's shirt though," Karen replied, "I used to be so scared that someone would try and hurt you when you were in office. That kinda disappeared after you were out for a while, and then tonight when Tom showed up covered in blood—"

"I'm ok," Fitz told her, "I'll live. They replaced a lot of the blood already. I feel like I've been hit by a truck, and my hand's a little numb – but I just want to know how Liv is."

"I'll go see if I can get someone to come give you an update," Karen replied – but he got the feeling that he scared her off.

He looked down at the baby, sleeping in his arms. He had Olivia's face, her ears, and her adorable nose. He looked down at the tiny little one in his arms, and all he could think about was his Livy. Why hadn't he been able to do more than throw his arm between her and the other car? Why hadn't he jumped onto the other side of her? If only he had thought a little bit faster, she could be the one waking up here, with the kids – and he would be the one having to fight for his life.

All he could think about was the same things that he could have done differently, how he could have protected her differently. Suddenly, he couldn't bare the silence, he turned on the TV. Of course, the first thing that turned on was the news, and some poor reporter who was apparently standing just outside the hospital.

"…The last we heard was that the former president was awake, and his children are in his room with him," He announced, "Also that his wife, Olivia Grant, is in surgery listed under critical condition. Nothing has been said of the couple's unborn child….From what we heard of the accident a drunk driver plowed into the back of the limousine that was taking them home from their benefit dinner earlier this evening. There is no evidence that the accident was deliberate. We have no information about the driver of the other car, other than the fact that he was heavily intoxicated, and was released from the hospital into custody a few hours ago."

"Thank you, Lance," said the lead news anchor as it flashed back to him, and the baby woke up.

"Shh," Fitz tried to sooth him, as he opened his eyes and looked right up at his father, "It's ok. Daddy's here, I'm going to take really great care of you, you know that? Look at you, my perfect little guy."

"Mr. President?" A nurse carefully edged into the room and he looked up.

"Yes?"

"It's time for the baby's feeding," She said and he nodded, "We'll bring him right back afterwards, if you'd like."

"Yes please," He said as she took him, "Could you track my other kids down, too? I think they brought Jasper down to a play area or something?"

"Yes sir," She replied, "I'll have another nurse go and find them."

"And," He breathed, "Could I please get an update on my wife, it's been hours."

"Will do," She said, "I'll go and check. The word is she's still critical, but I'll see what I can find out – I'll let you know when I bring him back?"

"Thank you," Fitz replied, letting his attention go back to the screen as it flashed to something different.

"In other news, today as the Republican Nominees were required to accept or pass on their nominations, there was a surprise in the works," The reporter paused, "The former first lady, had announced just an hour before President Grant's accident that she too will be running for the republican candidate this election-"

He had had enough, he hit the button to turn the TV off with vengeance. He couldn't think about having to run against Mellie, he couldn't think about Mellie period. If it wasn't for Mellie he and Olivia would have had so much less heartbreak, so much more time to be free and happy. If it wasn't for him Olivia and he would have had so much more time. He took a deep breath, which hurt him a little as the kids came back in, Gerry carrying a sleeping Jasper.

"He's exhausted," Gerry told him, setting him down on the couch on the other side of the room so that he could sleep, "Where's the baby?"

"They took him for a feeding," Fitz said and Karen nodded as she reclaimed her seat by his side.

"Sorry I scared you," He said, ashamed and they nodded.

"It's ok, Dad," Karen replied, taking uninjured hand – careful not to get in the way of any of the wires hanging out of his arm, "We're all worried about her."

"Your mother's running," Fitz said, he needed something – anything to take his mind of Liv, and the thousands of things that could be happening.

"She announced it about an hour before Tom showed up," Gerry replied, shrugging, "She's just being mom."

"Did either of you know about this?"

"No," Karen replied, "We've barely spoken to her since she's gotten her new family."

"Ok," Fitz replied, accepting that answer as a man in a white lab coat knocked on the door, "C'mon in."

"Mr. President," He said respectfully as he walked into the room slowly, "I hear that you were asking for an update on your wife. Usually, we don't like to tell patients things like this right away – especially with your types of injuries. You have just enough strength to cause some serious damage. You're going to have to promise me, and your children here that you'll remain calm."

"Yes," Fitz replied simply, and the doctor nodded as he pulled up a chair next to Karen.

"The surgery was a success, and your wife is out of surgery, she's in a recovery room downstairs," He told him and Fitz took a breath, "It was a long tough surgery and her body took a beating. Not only did it go through child-birth, but also major surgery. She's still out, and may be out for a little while – but she's not in any pain. We're waiting a couple hours to monitor her before we take her off the critical list, but as soon as we do we'll bring her up here."

"Will there be any long term effects?" Fitz asked and the doctor shrugged.

"I'm afraid we really won't know anything else until she wakes up," He said, "Your boy will have to spend the night in the nursery. You both need your rest and it might be best if the children go home as well."

"You can keep the baby in the nursery if you think that's best, but the kids aren't going anywhere," Fitz replied, "Not tonight."


	8. Gone

A/N: Hello, everyone... hope you enjoy the chapter... :) Thanks for all the reviews...it makes me so happy to hear from you guys!

Second Time Around

Chapter Eight: Gone

Gerry and Karen took over the remote and found a movie on TV that they could watch with Jasper, who had woken up. The cots were delivered, and they set up shop. Fitz watched as each one of them fell asleep in turn. He wouldn't sleep, he couldn't sleep until Olivia was here too, until his whole family was here. Until the woman that he loved was in his sight, though he knew that he wouldn't be fully comforted until she was back in his arms. He took a deep breath as he flicked the TV off, and started just sort of staring at the wall, the little light near my bed just barely on.

"Nurse," He whispered, as one passed, and she stopped, coming into the room.

"Can I get someone to help me over to the bathroom?" He asked.

"Your bed is equipped with a –" She broke off watching his face, "Two of our male transports are bringing your wife up – we'll see if they won't mind once they get here."

"Liv's awake?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No, but they've taken her off the critical list," She replied, "So they're bringing her up. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"My son?"

"I was just down in the nursery, he's just fine, they're taking good care of him."

"Thank you."

"Do you want something to eat?" She asked, and Fitz shook his head.

"No, I'm not hungry," He replied, and she nodded.

"Well I'll just grab you something quick," She replied, giving him a knowing look, "You might change your mind once she's here."

"Thanks," He replied as she left the room Fitz took a deep breath.

His left arm was starting to hurt, so he hit the little button on his remote so that more painkillers would be released into his system. Now all he had to do was wait, wait for them to bring Olivia up. She wasn't critical, she was out of surgery, and she was heading right to him, those were all good things. Except there was that nagging feeling that she wasn't awake again yet – which he knew wouldn't go away until he saw her open her eyes.

"Sir," One of the men said as they wheeled in her hospital bed – the agent assigned to her stopped outside the door, where he assumed Tom was.

"How is she?" Fitz asked them and they shrugged as one of them turned on her bedside light.

"Off the critical list," The older of the two replied, "She hasn't woken up yet, but she should soon."

"Thanks. The nurse told me to ask you guys if you could help me get up," He replied, "I have to get over to the bathroom."

"It's no problem, Mr. President," said the younger of the two, walking over, "Do you think you can stand?"

"Yeah," He replied, motioning to his injured arm, "I just don't know that I can get the pole for my IV and the door."

"Gotcha," said the first one, walking over and guiding his pole around the bed, carefully not disturbing the sleeping kids.

The other one went over to him and helped him up, carefully. Until then Fitz hadn't realized quite how much pain he was in. The sling hardly held his arm in the correct position to avoid pain – and it felt like there was a cut going around his ankle. He stumbled over to the bathroom door, the two men following him carefully, wheeling his stand behind him. He made a point of not looking at Liv just yet.

"I've got it from here," Fitz said, taking the pole in his uninjured hand as the second opened the door for him, "Thanks."

The men waited outside until he was done, then opened the door for him again. This was when he finally got a good look at his Liv. His Liv, lying in bed – she looked so small. And had several more monitors than he had had. They had a few extra blankets on her, and an oxygen mask over her face and nose. She looked crumpled. Her leg had a cast on it already, and was elevated slightly. He took a deep breath.

"We'll help you back into bed, sir."

"I don't want to be back in bed," He replied as he looked at Liv, then to a chair, "Can I sit in the chair by her side?"

"Sorry, sir," the older of the two said, checking his chart, "You have bathroom privileges, but other than that you're supposed to be in bed."

"We can move her over closer though," the younger, second one told him, "We can make it so that you can hold her hand."

"That's fine," He breathed, as they helped him back over to his bed, then pushed Olivia's bed over so that it was right against his – he reached through the bars and took her hand, "Thank you."

"No problem, sir," They whispered, and headed out of the room.

He weaved his fingers within hers, and held onto her tightly, but it still didn't feel quite right to him. He edged over to the edge of his bed carefully, feeling for her rings with his hand. She had always thought it was funny when he spun them around her finger. It was a tad possessive, and the thought was that he was flaunting to anyone around that she was his, which she knew fully – but she still found it amusing. But they weren't there. He assumed that this was because she had been in surgery, and they were over in her bag of personal effects. He pouted, and turned his head so that that he could watch her face as he fell asleep with her hand tightly wrapped up in his.

"Sir."

"Daddy."

He woke up an hour later and it was morning, the doctor standing by his bed – Liv's hand was still in his.

"What?" He asked, looking to Liv, and then to the doctor.

"The swelling's gone down in your arm enough for us to put a cast on it," The doctor said and Fitz nodded.

"Can you do it here?" Fitz asked, and he doctor nodded, leaving the room to go get the supplies – Fitz assumed.

"Morning, Daddy," Jasper yawned as he approached the side of the bed.

"Morning, Jazz," He smiled, and Jasper took a breath.

"Why won't mommy wake up?" He asked and it was Fitz's turn to sigh.

"Because she's sleeping," Fitz replied, "She's really tired from the accident – Gerry?"

"Yeah, dad?" He asked, standing up from where he had been sitting on the radiator.

"Why don't you take everyone home?" Fitz suggested, "I'll let you know when she wakes up."

"Ok," Gerry said, as Karen grabbed Jasper's coat.

"Go home, get some real sleep, get some showers," He said and Karen nodded, "I'll have someone call you once she wakes up."

"Ok," Karen replied, as she helped Jasper into his coat, and picked him up.

"Say goodbye to your brother on your way out," Fitz reminded them, just as a nurse wheeled in his plastic basinet, "Or you can do it here."

"I figured you guys could use some cheering up from this little guy," She said as she wheeled him right up to the other side of Fitz's bed, "He's been fed, and we just changed him – he fell asleep on the way up."

"Thanks," Fitz replied as she left the room and each of the kids left a little kiss on the baby's forehead, "Kids, have an agent go with you, ok?"

"Ok," Gerry said as they headed out of the room.

"Hey, buddy," Fitz looked to the sleeping baby, "Your mommy's going to be just fine. She's going to be so excited to meet you when she wakes up."

"Knock, knock," said an overly familiar voice as Cyrus entered the room, "She's still out?"

"Yeah," Fitz breathed, his thumb running circles around the back of her hand.

"The baby's fine?" He asked and Fitz nodded.

"You?"

"I'm fine," He replied, and Cyrus gestured towards his arm, "It's broken, they're coming down to set it now."

"I'm putting together a press release, the country hasn't heard anything definitive since last night when I confirmed that all three of you were here," he replied, and Fitz nodded.

"Just tell them that we're recovering, that Olivia made it out of surgery fine – so say the doctors, and we have a beautiful healthy baby boy, born last night on the way to the hospital – eight pounds, seven ounces."

"That's it?" Cyrus said.

"I won't officially name him until Liv wakes up," Fitz replied, and Cyrus nodded.

"That wasn't what I was asking."

"I know," He replied, "And I don't see that this is going to stop me from running, but I'll have to discuss it with Liv, see what exactly we're dealing with."

"Ok," Cyrus was not pleased, was looking for a definitive yes, "There's something else, that I came to tell you."

"What, Cy?" He asked, "I can't-"

"It's the drunk driver, sir," He told him, then took a deep breath, adding nervously as if it was one word, "Theywenttohishousethismornin gtotakehimin, ."

"What?" Fitz asked, "I have a concussion, Cy – I'm a little slow right now."

"He fled," Cyrus said simply, a little slower.

"He fled?" Fitz couldn't believe his ears, "How could something like that happen, Cy?"

"The assumption is that he realized the full severity of what happened," Cyrus replied, as the doctor came in with a kit to set Fitz arm, he winced as they took it out of sling, and started unwrapping it, "He hit the former president of the united states, who is now a candidate again, and his very pregnant wife."

"That fucking bastard," Fitz breathed, and Cy raised his eyebrows at him – which Fitz ignored as he looked over at Liv.

"I'll leave you be," Cyrus replied, "Let me know when she wakes up?"

Fitz nodded slightly, and Cy excused himself from the room. Fitz waited in silence for them to be finished wrapping up his arm, and then looked over as they were finishing off.

"It'll have to dry," The doctor said as the others carted the rest of the materials out of the room, "You reported some numbness last night – is it still persisting?"

"Yeah," Fitz told him, as he realized that his wedding ring was missing too, "I can move everything, my fingers are just numb. It was shaking a little last night."

"It's probably a tremor," The doctor told him, "Honestly, given the trauma to your arm – nerve damage isn't at all surprising. What's probably happened is something got pinched. It's most likely permanent, but once your arm's healed we can do about it – if it's still happening."

"Alright, thank you," Fitz said and the doctor started to leave, "Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What would that be, sir?" He asked.

"Would you mind going through Liv and I's bags of personal items?" He asked, "Just to find our rings for me?"

"Of course, sir," He replied, he found them, and handed them to his good hand, "Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What's that?" Fitz asked, as he bent back his ring, and placed it back on his finger, that was protruding from his cast.

"Do something," He said and Fitz gave him a confused expression, "Change it, make it so that I don't walk into the ER every night to three drunk driving accidents – hurt kids, and innocent people that died because someone had too much to drink and decided it would be a good idea to try and drive home. You're going to be President, your family was effected directly, maybe now you rich boys can finally do something about it."

He left without another word, and Fitz turned back to watch Liv, who he had noticed was starting to stir. His heart stopped the second he saw her twitch, and he slipped her rings back onto her finger one handed as she mumbled something in her sleep.

"Livy. Livy wake up," He called to her sweetly as he edged towards the side of his bed, and he managed to get his hand over to brush some of her hair from her face, then deepened his voice, "Sweet baby, it's time to wake up."

"Mmm?" She opened her eyes slowly, and he smiled at her, "Ow."

"Don't try to move," He cautioned her as the relief rolled off him, but he couldn't keep himself from smiling, "Thank God."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead affectionately, he wanted to hold her, to snuggle her, and to never again let her out of his arms. But the bandages around her broken ribs and all the wires coming out from under her blanket stopped him from jumping right into her bed with her. He ran the side of his hand across her forehead again.

She reached up and pulled the oxygen mask from her face.

"Babe, what happened?" She exhaled, "Where's the baby?"

"He's fine," Fitz told her, "He's perfect."

"Let me see him," She replied.

He got out of bed, carefully and wheeled both his pole and the baby over towards her, using his cast to drag the pole along. He smiled as the baby started wake up. He stopped on the other side of Liv's bed, adjusting the pole so that he could very carefully pick the baby out of his plastic cradle. Then he took the seat right by her head, angling his arms so that she could see him.

"Oh, Desmond," She smiled as he tried to bring the chair closer.

"What side do your ribs hurt on?" He asked and she nodded to the opposite side, "You think you can hold him?"

She nodded, moving the arm closest to him so that she could cradle the Desmond between the bed and herself. Got up, and laid the newborn into his mother's arms, kissing her softly, like he had been dying to for almost twenty-four hours. It was all he need to know that they were going to be ok. He pulled away, and went to sit in the chair.

"Where're you going?" She sounded frantic for the one of the first times he could ever recall.

"I'm right here," He popped up, as she tried to scoot herself over, "Don't do that—"

"I want you up here with me," She said, and he nodded.

"Ok, ok," He replied, sitting on the very edge of the bed – helping her keep Desmond steady, "I'm here, Liv."


	9. Scars

A/N: Apologies for this being late, had a much more hectic/unwriter friendly day than expected… Read and Enjoy! (And Don't forget to leave me a review (: )

Second Time Around

Chapter Nine: Scars

Fitz was lying in bed, at home, with Liv in his arms. Desmond was sleeping for once - in his basinet at the foot of the bed, and the whole family was taking advantage of the time to sleep. Or at least they and Jasper were, Karen and Gerry had gone out for the day with some friends. Fitz made them take an agent, which they weren't pleased about, but they accepted that those were the rules now. Fitz rolled over, he was mostly healed now, he had the remnants of the gash that had been on his neck, it looked like a cut – thanks to the stiches that the hospital had insisted on waiting to take out before he could go home. His hand had tremors here and there, but nothing really to worry about. Liv on the other hand was still sore sometimes, though she was determined to be strong.

"I love you," He whispered into her ear as he very gingerly put his good hand on her stomach, where her hand found his.

She rolled onto her back and looked up at him, which was a little more labored than usual with the cast that was all the way up to the bottom of her knee getting in the way as she attempted to snuggle up to him. Stuck his casted arm underneath her pillow, and she left her sore side and injured leg on the side farthest from him as he leaned over her and kissed her passionately.

"How're you feeling?" He asked her softly as she traced the scar on the side of his neck.

"I feel fine," She replied, as he carefully brushed her hair from her face, "Really."

It was no secret that Liv was not used to being like this. She wasn't used to having to ask him to help her get to things, having to ask for help going down the stairs, and help in the shower – both of which he equally didn't mind helping with, the shower thing in particular. However, she wouldn't let him help her in the shower, or on the stairs – she was forcing herself to do it herself – and for some reason he knew that was just her – the way she had to be.

"You must have lost so much blood," She said, she was still kind of reeling from the accident.

"I'm sure you can ask Tom," He replied, carefully leaning over her again, and kissing her tenderly.

"The Huck and Abby'll be here soon," She replied, and he nodded.

"Cy'll be here a few minutes before them," He replied, and she smiled up at him – he hadn't seen that smile removed from the kids since the accident, which had now been a couple weeks.

"I have to dress my scar," She told him and he nodded.

"You know I can help you, right?" He asked, and she nodded.

"You can help me by going and getting Jasper ready for company."

"Sure," He kissed the top of her head, and then kissed the sleeping baby on the way out.

He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, what he had fallen asleep in next to Olivia. Their mothers had been taking turns coming over to help out – what with Olivia's leg and his arm, but Olivia didn't like it. She didn't like not being able to take care of her family herself, which Fitz could relate to quite easily. He walked into Jasper's room, where he had apparently been playing for some time.

"Hey buddy," He said, and Jasper ran over and attached himself to his leg.

"Daddy!" He smiled, as Fitz got down to be eye level with him.

"What do you say we get you dressed, ok?" He said, "Mommy and I's friends are coming over to help me figure out how to help me run for President."

"Oh," He replied, as Fitz helped him get dressed one handed, then scooped him up with his good arm – balancing him with his cast, "When are you and mommy going to be all better?"

"About a month til we get our casts off, buddy," He replied, carrying him down the stairs.

They had bringing downstairs down to an art-form. They couldn't really leave either of the boys alone for very long, and Olivia couldn't carry the baby down the stairs just yet, she was already wobbly by herself coming down– she couldn't really carry him from place to place at all with her crutches in the way. So, as Jasper was too young to be let go up and down without some sort of supervision, Fitz would take him down first, and put him in the living room with his toys. Then, he would go back up as Olivia was coming down the other, wider flight of stairs and sit with Jasper while he got Desmond, and all that he would need to avoid more trips up the stairs.

It honestly was easier when one of the grandparents was there to help, but neither of them were about to admit that out loud. Fitz filled Desmond's diaper bag with blankets, spit-cloths, and enough extra clothes and diapers to last until bedtime. They would both be busy with the campaign planning, but if they needed anything Liv would insist on going up and getting it herself. Fitz's mission was to not make her do stairs any more than she had to on crutches, especially while her side and chest were still sore.

"Here we are," He said, putting Desmond into Olivia's arms where she was sitting on the couch, and then putting the diaper bag down on the floor next to her.

"Hey, Des," She smiled as she leaned over and kissed the top of the baby's head.

Fitz smiled as he sat down, and Jasper climbed right up on his lap, looking over at his little brother, then back at the TV. Before long the door bell rang and Fitz got up, and went to the door with Japer on his hip, his good arm holding onto him.

"Ready, sport?" Fitz said, leaning down and in so that Jasper could turn the door handle for him.

"Sir," Cyrus said as Fitz stepped aside, letting him, Abby, and Huck trailed into the kitchen.

"Hey, Jazz," Abby was the only one of them to greet Jasper first, taking him right from Fitz's arms.

"C'mon, Liv's in here," He led the troupe into the living room, where Liv was waiting with Desmond.

"It's ok, Huck," Fitz said, as Cyrus and Abby got settled in – Huck just looked uncomfortable, "You don't have to like kids."

"I like kids," He replied, and Fitz nodded.

"Why don't you sit with me?" Fitz said, and Huck nodded, pulling a seat up to Olivia's end of the couch, and another one up next to that.

"After you," He said, and Fitz took his seat on Liv's right side.

"So, let's get down to business, shall we?" Cyrus said, "We're a couple weeks behind, so I think the first thing we need to do is get a schedule down."

"I think we should start immediately," Abby replied, "Campaigning, releasing more than pictures. I say we start with the northeast, we can do it on the way to New Hampshire – after we win New Hampshire we can worry about visiting the rest of the country."

"Televised speeches," Cy said and she nodded.

"With his notoriety, they'll all get attention," She replied and Cyrus nodded.

"That's brilliant, we can't pull anything off really since we lost the two weeks, but we can definitely do that," He replied, "Plus, America won't be expecting all that much – they just got out of the hospital a week ago. Can you two put together five speeches? Just for the way up."

"Of course," Liv replied, and Fitz nodded – Abby looked confused.

"Liv and Fitz wrote all of his speeches together while she was on staff," Cyrus recalled with a smile, "A political writing dream team."

"Hey, what's going on?" Gerry asked as he and Karen walked in, they looked from Huck, to Abby, to Cyrus, to Liv, to their father.

"Just strategizing," Fitz told them, "Would you two mind taking Jazz upstairs?"

"Yeah, no problem," Gerry asked, crossing the room and taking him from Abby.

"Dezzy," Jasper reached for his little brother.

"You'll see him soon," Gerry assured him.

"Karen?" Olivia spoke up, stopping her as she went to leave the room, "Would you mind holding Des for a minute while I go fix him a bottle?"

"Sure," Karen replied, crossing the room and cradling the baby in her arms.

"Babe?" Olivia turned to Fitz, and he waited for her to continue, "Can you bring down the basinet – you might have to bring Cy with you. And get my sweeter, the white one?"

"I can get it," Fitz said, as he got up, but Cy got up too anyways, "Which white sweater?"

"The cardigan," She told him, and he kinda just looked lost, "The white sweater, it's a button up, and has sequins around the neck."

"Oh, that one," He replied, knowing the exact sweater that she meant.

He went up the stairs, with Cyrus right on his tail. He led him up the stairs and down the hallway to his and Liv's master suite. He walked in and went straight for Liv's closet. He ran through her whole sweater section twice before realizing that it wasn't there – because Olivia was anal about her closet and the sweater should have been where it always was. He sighed and grabbed one that was similar, just without the beading, and threw it over his shoulder. Then, he grabbed one end of the basinet, and Cy the other. They very carefully navigated the stairs, and put it in the corner of the room.

"Sorry, I couldn't find the one you wanted," Fitz said, sitting beside her on the couch and helping her into the one he had brought around the baby that she was feeding.

"You couldn't find my sweater?" She was surprised, and he shook his head, "That's my favorite one."

"I know," He replied, and Cyrus took the seat that he had previously been sitting in, "So what'd I miss?"

"Part of Desmond's meal," Abby said, and Fitz nodded.

"We just took a break," Olivia replied, leaning over and kissing the side of his head.

"Now," said Cy, in a slightly hushed tone, "What're we going to do about Mellie?"

Fitz's hand – almost of its own accord started to rub softly against Olivia's thigh. He knew that Mellie was never a subject that his Livy particularly liked, and he had a feeling that he would be doing a lot of damage control with her over the course of the campaign. However, part of him was seeing it as a good thing – it was a chance for him to redeem himself, prove himself, or just make it that much more up to Liv.

"Let her fizzle out," Fitz said, sounding unconcerned.

"She's your only real competition in the primaries," Olivia pointed out, "And we all know what she would do to be in the White House."

"I think Mellie running will make the run more difficult, but I definitely think we can still win this," Cyrus said, "That is as long as we can steer clear of a debate with her. "

"Are you kidding?" Abby said, "There's no way we'll be able to avoid it. Once it's clear he's ok, the press is going to be all about the rivalry."

"So we let her dig herself into a hole," Olivia offered, but Cyrus shook his head.

"We need dirt," He said, looking to Huck.

"You were married to her for twenty something years, she's the mother of your oldest two children," Huck said, "I'm sure you don't need me to help you dig up dirt on her…"

"We have a little," Fitz said, exchanging looks with Olivia, "But ours would be cause for this to get very ugly very quickly. I think Cyrus is looking for things in the past four years, for which she hasn't had any contact with us, and the past two years where she's completely ignored Karen and Gerry's existence."

"What?" Abby said, and Olivia nodded.

"They're strong, you'd never know it."

"So that's why they've lived here with you guys almost the whole time," Abby said, and Olivia just nodded again.

"How ugly could it get?" Huck asked, and Fitz just exchanged looks with Liv.

"She knew," Fitz said, "She knew the whole time that Liv and I were – in love. She ignored it, and then towards the end got nasty. According to the divorce settlement, she has to keep quiet about it, or we have permission to go to every paper about some things that she wouldn't like out."

"You have truce?" Huck asked, a little confused as Olivia went to burp Desmond.

"For the years that I was in the picture, and they were married, yes," Olivia replied.

"God, what do you have on her?" Abby asked and Fitz swallowed.

"Lots, that's why she agreed," He replied, but now he was looking at Huck, "Anything up until the start of my campaign for presidency, and anything in the last four years, ok?"

"I can work with that," Huck agreed.


	10. Guilt

Second Time Around

Chapter Ten: Guilt

Under any other circumstances, Fitz would be bursting at the seams as they checked into the hotel in Rhode Island. They were about halfway through their tour on the way up to New Hampshire. The boys, Karen, Gerry, and Liv's mother, who was along to watch Des and Jazz, were accompanying them on the trail. They whole campaign team had rented out the top two floors of the hotel – which was right on the ocean. The penthouse suite was simply for the family, while everyone else on the campaign was staying on the floor below them. The hotel was crawling with security, they were only staying there for one night, then they would be moving on to Boston the next day after Fitz had a speech at the Local college.

"The view's beautiful," Fitz said as he and Liv walked into the master suite.

"It's pretty," She said, leaning on her crutches carefully.

"What'd you say we bag up our casts and get in a bubble bath tonight?" He offered, walking over and placing his hands on her hips affectionately.

"Fitz," She went into defensive avoidance mode, and he smiled sadly as Jasper ran into the room, followed closely by Gerry and Karen.

"Daddy, Daddy!" He called, "Can we go down to the beach?"

"Sure," Fitz said, as the toddler attached himself to his father's leg, "Where's Grammy Pope?"

"She's watching Desmond," Gerry replied, "He just woke up."

"Sounds like a good a time as any to fit in some family time, now doesn't it?" Fitz replied, and all three of the kids smiled, "Tell Tom, and then go get ready."

Fitz put his own waterproof bag over his cast, and then changed into his swim trunks before turning to Olivia, who's only movement was to sit down on the foot of the bed.

"What's up?" He asked, "You don't want to go swimming?"

"I'll go down," she replied, "But I'll sit with my mom and Desmond."

"Ok, it might be kinda hard with your leg," He admitted as he sat down next to her.

"I don't know how I'm going to get through the sand even," She replied, and he nodded as he leaned over and kissed the side of her neck.

"You leave that to me," He replied, and then leaned back to pull a t-shirt on over his head.

They had to wait a few minutes for the Secret Service to clear out a little spot on the beach and deem it safe, but within the half hour, the whole family was on the beach. Fitz had a bag over Liv's leg anyways, so that the sand couldn't get in. Gerry carried her crutches, and Fitz carried her across the sand, and put her into a chair that the hotel had out on the beach for the summer. Her mother sat next to her, and they kept Desmond in his stroller between the two.

"Cyrus can't just give us a minute as a family?" Gerry asked, nodding over to the boardwalk, where paparazzi had assembled.

"He didn't necessarily tip them off," Fitz replied, pulling off his shirt carefully, "Ignore 'em. They'll get whatever shots their supposed to get and leave."

"If you say so, dad," Karen replied, helping Jasper out of his shirt as Fitz leaned down and kissed Olivia softly.

"I do," He smiled, picking Jasper up with one arm and racing towards the water, "Last one in's a rotten egg!"

With that Olivia watched as her husband and his three oldest children ran off splashing into the water. She smiled a little to herself, then looked over at Desmond, who was just starting to wiggle around in the stroller. Her mother followed her gaze, and got up enough to take him out, and hand him over to her.

"How're you doing?" Layne asked as she sat back down, watching her daughter settle the baby on her lap.

"I'm fine," Olivia replied in her usual tone – but her mother wasn't buying it – and she knew it.

"Liv, you've been acting strangely ever since you got home from the hospital – and I mean, that's ok," She said, "It's understandable. But it's important to not let yourself be defined by an accident, sweetie."

"I know that, mom," Olivia replied, readjusting Desmond in her arms.

"How're you and Fitz?" She asked and Olivia shrugged.

"We're fine."

"Are you?"

"What do you mean, mom?" Olivia asked, looking over at her.

"I mean, that man is gorgeous."

"Mom."

"It's not the first time I've told you," Layne said, "But he is completely in love with you, and all I've been able to witness is not the usual way that you two act around each other. It's like you're keeping him at a distance."

"I am not," Olivia replied, defensively, and her mother just sort of gave her a knowing look before going back to watching Fitz play in the shallows with the kids.

Olivia knew that her mother was right, of course, but she wasn't really doing it on purpose. She loved Fitz, even more every day, but she was worried. She had always been his best friend and all of that, she had also always been his perfect little lover. She was little, and fit perfectly against his body, with a perfectly toned one that he worshipped so amazingly. She brushed the scar just below her breast almost subconsciously, it was stupid. She knew that it was stupid, but she just couldn't bring herself to let him see it – he hadn't yet, and she wasn't about to let him. She would rather he just picture what he had seen a million times before, not the scar he would find now. She knew he wasn't that shallow, and he loved her – but still.

She watched as Fitz came out of the water, Jasper running along ahead of him as Gerry and Karen went to swim out deeper in the waves. She watched as the salt water rolled right off of him, and the sun kissed the water droplets on his shoulder. She couldn't help where her mind was going as he ran his hand through his soaked hair, and smiled at her lovingly.

"You sure you don't want to go in?" He asked her, and she shook her head, smiling.

"Yes," She said as a loving look took over his face, dazing off as he watched her.

"Well, you're sitting on my towel," He informed her after almost a full minute.

"You can air dry," She teased him, and he arched an eyebrow at her.

"Daddy, you said you'd build a sandcastle with me," Jasper saw fit to remind him.

"I did," He replied affirmatively as he sat down by Liv's feet and started building.

They spend just about the whole rest of the day down on the beach, when everyone started to get hungry Fitz called in pizza, to be delivered from the hotel cooks to them on the beach. Liv's mom headed back up to the hotel to feed and put Desmond down, and as she disappeared into the distance Cyrus came closer and closer into view. Fitz pulled his shirt on over his head, and Jasper played happily in the sand – Gerry and Karen helping him construct a larger, more impressive sand castle than he and Fitz had been able to construct, as Olivia shouted out some little instructions. Fitz smiled at his family, then ran up the beach to meet Cyrus before he got to them.

"What's up, Cy?" Fitz asked and Cy – looking so out of place on a beach in his suit smiled – something even more out of place.

"We did it, sir," He replied, somewhat out of breath.

"We did what, Cy?"

"I think we've managed to avoid a debate with her, sir," He said, "She's not doing so well in the polls, especially after those pictures were just released of…this."

"So that was you?"

"Please, who else would it be?"

"Don't let Gerry find out," Fitz replied and Cy shrugged.

"That kid already hates me – I'm not too worried about it," He replied, un-phased, "Are you guys coming back in soon?"

"I think once the kids are done building their sand castle," Fitz told him, "It's getting late, we have to be at Roger Williams in the morning."

"Right," Cy replied, as Gerry came running over as Karen started walking down to the water to wash off with Jasper.

"Ready to go in, dad?" He asked, and Fitz nodded, "Liv must be getting pretty bored."

"Yeah," Fitz replied, "I'll see you in the morning, Cy."

Fitz walked back over to where they had set up camp with his son, and scooped Liv very carefully out of her seat. Gerry carried her crutches, and held Jasper's hand while Karen picked up all of what little belongings that they had brought down. Everyone showered, and got changed, and Fitz was soon putting an exhausted Jasper to bed.

"Daddy," Jasper said, once he was all tucked in and Fitz was about to start reading to him, "Mommy's blanket isn't here."

"Are you sure you brought it?" Fitz asked, looking around for the blanket that Liv had given him – Layne had made it for her when she was born.

"Yeah," He replied.

"I thought we agreed to leave it at home," Fitz said, and Jasper nodded.

"Ok, it's probably there," He replied.

Fitz finished reading him his story, then popped into the Desmond's room to check on him – Layne would have already read to him. Fitz walked back out into the main living area and found Karen, Gerry, and Layne were watching a movie on TV.

"Good night, guys," He told them as he passed, "Remember, we have to be ready to leave here at nine tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, Dad," Gerry replied, and he nodded as he walked into the master suite.

"Night, Dad," Karen called and Fitz smiled.

"Night, Kare," He replied, walking into his and Liv's portion of the suite.

She was lying on the bed, propped up on pillows reading her book, and he just about nose dived into the pillows next to her, putting his casted arm over her stomach. He just laid there momentarily before turning over on his side and curling up around her. He used his good hand to start running his fingers through her hair, and she put her book away as he kissed the side of her face.

"You have my attention?" She smiled, turning to him as he leaned in and kissed her affectionately.

"I do?" He mumbled as he smiled against her lips, rolling them over so that she was lying on top of him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, and started to roll off, but he held her instead.

"Nothing, Livie," He replied, furrowing his brow, "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing, just something my mom said earlier," She replied, leaning down and kissing him softly.

"Since when do I get in trouble for something your mother said?" He asked, letting her roll off on the other side and going up on his side and looking into her face – his good hand playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Since never, here either," She replied, her hand up as she started playing with his hair.

He let his hand slip underneath her shirt, running his fingertips around her soft flat stomach. She smiled as she curled up within herself just a little more, and he smiled, leaning down and kissing her passionately as he went to pull her shirt off over her head. However, suddenly her hands met his and stopped him, guiding his hands back to replace the shirt where it had been.

"Liv," He breathed, a little confused as he pulled away from her, "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing, Fitz," She replied, "I'm just tired – not in the mood."

He rolled over on his back, and stared at the ceiling. Everything that he had been trying to suppress was bubbling at the surface – in particular his own guilt in the accident. She had been acting strangely since it happened, and he couldn't help but think of all the ways that he was to blame for it. If he had never run, then they wouldn't have been leaving the party, because they party wouldn't have been thrown. If he hadn't been 'that guy' and had left Mellie as soon as he fell in love with Liv, he wouldn't have felt the need to stay at the party so long, and that way they wouldn't have been leaving at that late of a time. If he had just done something a little differently, if he had truly put her first – she wouldn't have a cast on her leg right now. He didn't blame her for blocking him out. He fucked up, he knew he fucked up, he was trying to fix it.

"Fitz."

"It's fine," He replied, trying not to sound too sad, "Let's just get some sleep."

"No, Fitz, I don't know how to explain—"

"Livy, it's ok," He replied, getting underneath the covers.

"Naw, baby," She said, getting under the covers with him.

She turned out the light and snuggled up to his side, purposefully placing her head on his chest, her hand just under the hem of his Navy t-shirt. She was out within a few minutes, but he was awake. He was very much awake, with everything and more running right through his head on a loop.


	11. Healed

Second Time Around

Chapter Eleven: Healed

Fitz sat in the doctor's office in Boston flexing his hand, his cast newly removed from his arm, and all he could see was the dead skin. The doctor had tried to check his nerves, but he just told him not to bother. The tremors and numbness wasn't bugging him too much – and it wasn't like he was a surgeon. If it ever got to be a problem, then he promised he would come and get it checked out. Gerry, Karen, and Layne were with the boys waiting down in the bus – they were just about to leave for New Hampshire.

Though, he was sure that Cyrus was trying to convince the doctors that Liv needed to keep the cast on for the rest of the election – he was hoping that her increased mobility would put her in a better mood than she had been in for the past month or so. He took a breath, and sat there, waiting for her to finish getting cut out of her cast. He smiled as she came out, with a walking cast and a doctor walking with her.

"Look at you," He smiled as he stood up and greeted her.

"Babe," She smiled, she was happy to be walking – and he took her hand.

Within two hours they were pulling into the hotel that was hosting the primaries. The kids were all getting settled, and Fitz and Liv were getting ready to head out to the pancake breakfast that all of the candidates were supposed to go to. Fitz found himself dreading it. It would be the first time he'd really seen Mellie since the divorce – and it wasn't him seeing her that was bugging him – it was Liv having to see her. He and Liv took showers once they got there – she used the one in their room, and he used Cyrus's so that they could both get the dead skin off of them. They were just about to leave when Jasper came up to them.

"What's up, sport?" Fitz asked.

"Can I come with you guys?" He asked adorably, clinging to Fitz.

"Sure can, sweetie," Liv told him, "We just thought you'd want to stay here with your brothers and sister."

"They're not coming?" Jasper asked, walking over to Gerry and Karen who were sitting on the couch in the sitting area, both texting furiously.

"No, Jazz," Gerry told him – they didn't want to have to see Mellie, and neither Liv nor Fitz could really blame them.

"Why not?" He asked, and the four of them exchanged looks, trying to figure out what to tell him.

"Well, Jazz," Gerry replied, pulling him up on the couch between them, "You're a really lucky kid, you have an awesome mommy, and a really good dad. Karen and I don't have that. We just have the really good dad part – our mom isn't such a great mommy, and she's going to be there at the pancake thing."

"You don't want to see your mommy?" Jasper looked truly upset by this, as Liv and Fitz leaned back, Fitz's arms around her, trying to let Karen and Gerry take care of it.

"It's not that we don't want to see her, Jazzy," Karen tried to explain it to him, "But she's not like your mommy. She decided a while ago that she didn't want us in her life anymore – and it's too sad for us to go and be near here."

"Your mommy didn't want you guys?" Jasper looked terrified, and Olivia felt the need to step in as Jasper looked to her.

"C'mere, baby," Olivia said, leaning down so that she could scoop the boy up.

"Mommy are you not going to want me?" He asked and Olivia shook her head viciously.

"No," She replied, "I will always want you, baby boy – and I'm always going to want Desmond, too. I love you so much, Jazz. I couldn't imagine not having you, or Desmond in my life. Which is why you're coming with us, ok? You are so important, Jazzy, to me and daddy."

"Ok," He started to show off a stiff upper lip.

"Should we not have told him?" Karen asked as Jasper buried his face into Liv's shoulder.

"It's fine," Fitz assured each of them, "It was only a matter of time before he figured it out – especially with her running too. I know you two don't want to lie to him. He'll be fine. And like I said, you guys don't have to see her if you don't want to."

"We should get going though," Olivia pointed out, checking her watch around Jasper, "Cyrus'll be here any minute telling us we're going to be late."

"Ok, have fun," Karen replied and Fitz nodded, Olivia leading the way out the door.

"Dad," Karen said as the door closed behind Olivia, and Fitz paused to listen, "Don't let mom near Liv."

"I wasn't planning on it."

"I'm sure some contact is unavoidable," Gerry said, "But seriously dad – don't let her get to Liv."

"You guys really like her, don't you?" Fitz commented and the nodded.

"She's perfect, dad," Gerry replied, "And she cares about us just as much as she does her own kids. She takes care of us – so we take care of her."

"And we know mom well enough to know that Liv is her target going into everything," Karen replied, "She's always been able to easily intimidate her – don't let her do it. Don't let her hurt Liv."

"Thanks for the tip, guys," He smiled as he headed for the door, "Have a good day off from the campaign, get some rest ok, Liv's got a surprise for you guys tonight."

"Sweet," They smiled, and he headed out the door.

Tom was waiting for him to supervise him getting into the back of the SUV with Olivia and Jasper. Jasper seemed to be in much better spirits, strapped into his car-seat between his parents. Fitz took a deep breath as the driver pulled away from the hotel. The rest of the campaign staffers and Cyrus would arrive in a different car, the plan being so that he and Liv could make an entrance – but apparently it would be him, Liv, and Jasper making an entrance. That was just fine with him.

"Ready, Jazz?" Fitz asked, as they pulled up to the lodge where the pancakes were, and he was unhooking him from his seat.

"Yes," He smiled, as Fitz took him into his arms, and the agents opened the door for him.

They got out of the car, Fitz carrying Jasper in his arms while he waved to the people that were waiting for him. He stopped around the front of the car, where Tom stood loyally by his side as he tried to encourage Jasper to wave at the people standing on the other side of the barricade of news people and police officers. Olivia came up to his side, leaning up and kissing his cheek adoringly as she took his free arm in hers. He smiled as he initiated walking into the lodge. Inside was only mildly tamer.

"Mommy," Jasper reached for her as they walked in, and Fitz very easily let him slip into her arms.

"Oh my goodness he's gotten so big since I last saw him," Olivia almost took a full step back as Mellie rushed over to her, a little girl in toe, "Where's the baby? Fitz, you should have let him come."

"He was fussy this morning," Olivia excused, putting on her show face, with a little bit of pain that didn't go unnoticed by Fitz – or Mellie's new husband, who had appeared at her side, "So we left him with my mother."

Fitz took a side step to put his arm firmly around her, and didn't even bother a fake smile. This was part of the game, and Mellie had just declared herself on home court. Olivia looked up at him – worried, for a split second before he casually led her away from Mellie saying something about Jasper being hungry. However, everything about Fitz's face was territorial and protective as he led his Livy away and to their designated table, where they were sitting with Cyrus, Abby, and Harrison.

"Jasper came?" Cyrus asked as they all took a seat, Jasper placed between Liv and Abby.

"He likes pancakes," Fitz replied, it was meant light heartedly – but somehow it didn't come out that way.

"So what was that with Mellie?" Abby asked as Olivia handed Jasper crayons and a coloring book from her purse.

"Apparently we're besties now," Olivia said mockingly and Fitz just went stone faced.

"It's not funny," Fitz replied, and Olivia rubbed his shoulder, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"C'mon, babe," She was trying to calm him down, "What did you expect her to do? She can't act like we haven't talked, and that we hate each other. It's not a good for her politically. She can't go around acting as if she abandoned her sixteen and eighteen year old with us two years ago. Us, we don't need that."

"And we're not going to deal with it, either," Fitz replied, "We're not making friends – even just for show."

Just as he finished his sentence Mellie was clearly visible coming towards the table.

"Jazzy," Abby spoke up quickly, hopping up to her feet, "C'mon, I think they're about to put the pancakes out."

She picked him up right out of his seat and carried him over in a different direction as Mellie came closer and closer to the table. Harrison very politely got up and went to mingle with some of the people around the next table as Mellia started to close in on the table. Fitz swallowed – hard – as Mellie took the seat that was previously Harrisons.

"What're you doing, Mellie?" He asked, setting a hand under the table on Olivia's thigh, "If you want to see some kids, then go pay attention to your daughter over there – or I have two back at the hotel who haven't seen their mother more than once in the past four years, but I'm not so sure they'd like a visit. Because they didn't want to come to the pancake breakfast – because they don't want to see you. Take your fake smile, your cold heart, and your political agenda and stay the hell away from my wife, and my sons. You have no business trying to act like we are friends, or that Olivia and you are friends."

"I thought it might be nice to try and be civil," Mellie retorted – her fake campaign face gone.

"Civil, yes," He shot back, "Friends, no. You do not come near Jasper, you do not come near Desmond, and you do not come near Liv."

"Liv's a big girl."

"But that doesn't mean that I'm going to leave her to the wolves," Fitz replied, staring pointedly at her, "I've made that mistake in the past, and it never ended well."

Mellie apparently didn't want to hear any more of it, and she got up and walked away. The table was silent for a minute, Liv's hand going under the table and covering a portion of his. Cyrus took a deep breath.

"So I guess there's no need to discuss how we're going to approach the Mellie issue," He commented, and Fitz shook his head.

"She's a snake," He replied, "I'm not letting her anywhere near us if I can do anything about it. I've made that mistake."

"Looks like Daddy needs some Jasper time," Abby and Harrison returned to the table, Abby putting the little boy into his lap as he retracted his hand from Liv's.

"Hey, sport," He said, kissing the top of Jasper's head.

After he had eaten his pancakes Fitz hadn't gotten another minute of any sort of relative peace for the rest of the day. The second they were done at the breakfast, it was almost noon and it was time to go to a speech arrangement that Cyrus had set up for him, during which Olivia had Abby and Harrison run Jasper to the hotel for his nap. Then, once they finally got back to the hotel, it was time to get ready for Gerry and Karen's surprises, which meant getting ready for the gala fundraiser for childhood cancer that Olivia had arranged for them to attend.

"How do I look?" Fitz asked as he walked out into the living room in his tux – where Karen and Gerry were already ready to go.

"Why do we have to go to this?" Karen asked.

"Liv thought it would be fun for you guys to get to have an excuse to get dressed up and come to the parties too," Fitz told them, and they nodded.

"Right," said Gerry, as Olivia walked out – stunning as ever, and Fitz caught her hand in his.

"You guys ready?"

"Yes," said Karen, putting on a brave, this is going to be fun, face.

"Well I figured it wouldn't be much fun for you guys without these two," Olivia smiled, as Fitz opened the door to the suite – Katelyn, and Karen's boyfriend Derek walked in.

"What?" Karen's eyes went wide.

"They made us promise not to tell you guys we were coming," Derek explained as they entered the room.

"How did you know?" Karen asked as Derek went over and draped an arm around her.

"I am the former president of the United States," Fitz smiled, "You don't think I can track down the boy my one and only daughter's dating?"

"Huck helped," Olivia said, which was an answer that Karen found much easier to accept.

Needless to say, Karen and Gerry had a great time at the gala – the first one that they had really been permitted to go to. Fitz very happily was there with Liv, and wouldn't leave her side the whole night – they were even able to catch a photograph of all six of them in one shot. Fitz was really just happy that he finally got to meet Karen's mystery boyfriend with the perfect amount of intimidation on his end. On the way back into the hotel, they dropped Katelyn and Derek off the floor below where they were staying in their own rooms. He breathed an audible sigh of relief as he collapsed onto the bed.

"I don't think a hotel bed has ever been this comfortable," He replied, spread eagle on the bedspread.

"I forgot how tiring this all was," Olivia replied, laying down next to him.

He couldn't hold it in any longer, all the guilt, all the pain that he had been walking around with.

"Day ustem la vem?" He mumbled into the comforter.

"What?"

"Do you still love me?" He sighed, turning his face to the side so that he could both see her beautiful face and so that she could hear him.

"Of course I do," She replied, surprised at his question as he rolled over, and laid on his back – staring at the ceiling again, "Fitz, I love you more than anything in the world. How could you – "

"It's stupid, don't worry," He replied, as she scooted over into his arms.

"No, Fitz."

"You don't act the same way you did before," He said, as she settled herself on his chest – looking up at him adoringly, "You don't – it's just not the same. And I get it, the accident was my fault – I shouldn't be running. I owe it to you to put you first. Which I'm trying to do – and we haven't had sex in six weeks, since the accident."

He couldn't believe he had let that out, he felt like such an ass. He had told himself over and over that it wouldn't be something that he brought up when he talked to her.

"Fitz," She said, he was already in trouble, he might as well get it all out.

"You never said no before, now it's all I hear…"

"Fitz," Olivia said again, this time it was more like she was trying to get his attention, "Babe, I love you, I am attracted to you – and it killed me to say no each and every time."

"Then why.."

"I have a scar, right underneath my breast, from the incision," She admitted, "It's ugly, and scary. I wanted to find a way to make it less awful before you saw it. I don't blame you for the accident, and it was definitely not your fault."

"What?" Fitz replied, "Why would you think I would care about something like that. That scar – I'm sure it's not as bad as you say – it saved your life – Livy."

"I know it's stupid," She replied, "But I'm just not ready for you to see it."

"Ok," He replied, realizing that he really had no other option but to accept it.

"Where's your pin?" She asked, suddenly.

"What?"

"The pin I gave you on your inauguration day," She replied, "You were wearing it earlier, it's gone."


	12. Up for Debate

A/N: Not going to say much, because I feel like I'll ruin something. The scar thing, I didn't see it as a shallow or vain thing, more of a pride thing – which we can all agree Livy's got. And yay! You guys are starting to notice that things are going missing… Anyways… as Christmas is coming closer and closer, I feel like I may not be able to update until Christmas :( so Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! Enjoy the chapter!

Second Time Around

Chapter Twelve: Up for Debate

Fitz was sitting at the table, it was early, and he was up much before everyone else in the suite. He hadn't even bothered getting dressed or doing anything yet. He knew that he would be going back to bed before he actually started his day. He had his hand strengthener in his left hand, trying to do some of the exercises that he was supposed to do. Cyrus had gotten on him about it earlier that day, that he would need to be able to have a firm handshake, at least or something stupid like that. However, every time he tried to squeeze the stupid thing that the doctors gave him, his hand seized up and he had to use his other hand to soften it up.

He put the thing back down on the table somewhat in frustration as he heard Desmond started to fuss almost silently in the next room. He walked in and scooped the infant out of his travel crib that he was sleeping in, without waking up Layne who was in the room with him. He held him right up to his shoulder, trying to comfort him as he went to changer his diaper. He was still fussing a little after that, so Fitz went into the kitchenette, still cradling the infant and going to heat him up a bottle. He sat down in the adjoining the living room to wait for it to be done, his feet on the coffee table and Desmond propped up on his knees.

"Hey, Des," He smiled, as the baby smiled around the corners of his mouth, and Fitz offered him his finger to hold, "What's up sport?"

He fussed in response, and Fitz smiled, leaning forward and kissing his forehead.

"I know, you're hungry, aren't you buddy?" He said, standing up.

He walking around with Desmond to his shoulder, rubbing circles on his back as he walked towards the kitchenette to check on the bottle. He held the baby to his shoulder with one hand, and went and checked the bottle, which wasn't at all warm yet. He sighed as he started to gently move up and down – just trying to sooth him and keep him from waking everyone else up as Olivia walked out into the kitchen.

"What're you doing up?" She yawned, and he nodded towards Desmond.

"Somebody's hungry," He replied, bringing the baby off his shoulder and into his arms – only to reveal that he was fast asleep, "Or not. "

"You should wake him up and feed him when the bottle's warm anyways," Olivia said, and Fitz nodded as she saw the strengthener, "Were you working on your hand?"

"I was trying," He replied simply as the bottle warmer beeped."

"Mind if I feed him?" Olivia asked and he shook his head as he handed her the baby.

"Absolutely not," He replied, kissing her forehead as she took the baby.

"Ok, time to wake up, sweet boy," Olivia said, waking him up as Fitz checked the bottle on his wrist, then handed it over to her as he picked back up the strengthener, "Babe, has it been bugging you?"

"Just seizing up like it's been doing," He replied, leaning against the counter, watching her feed the baby adoringly.

"God, why do you have to be so handsome?" She asked, and he smirked.

"I just woke up," He replied, and she shrugged.

"It's ok, that you can't sleep," She told him as she angled the bottle better for Desmond, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," He replied, and she nodded.

"But still."

"I don't really want to talk about it," He replied, "No matter what it comes down to, I have to have a debate with Mellie tonight."

"I still don't understand how Cyrus's bracket didn't work out," Olivia replied, and Fitz shrugged.

"He didn't think that Mellie and I would ever be the last two standing," He replied, and she nodded.

"No one did," She replied, "We still have the speech this afternoon, though."

"I still don't feel right about that," He replied, "I don't like Desmond being a part of it."

"I don't either," Olivia replied, kissing her son's head as she set the now empty bottle down, "But he's not going to be the center of attention, there's going to be a bunch of families there."

"Right," He replied, as he took the bottle and put it in the sink, "I'll clean it out in a minute."

"Ok," Olivia replied, snuggling Desmond sweetly, "I'm going to go put him back down – then will you come back to bed with me?"

"Sure," He smiled weakly as she disappeared back into her mother and Desmond's room.

He turned to the sink, and cleaned the bottle, because he might as well. He had just finished rinsing it out and putting it on the drying rack when Olivia walked back into the kitchenette, wrapping her arms around her husband from behind. She kissed his back and he smiled a little as he spun around, holding her tight, so that her walking cast was nearly off the floor.

"I love you, you know," She said the words that he needed to hear above all else as she wrapped her arms up around his neck.

"Thank you," He said, seriously as he leaned down and kissed her softly, "If I had known that all of this—"

"I know," She replied as she leaned up and kissed him, backing up as she took hold of one of his hands, "Come back to bed now, babe."

"Livy, I can't sleep," He replied, dragging his weight, but slowly moving to follow her.

"Who said anything about sleep?" She replied, smirking and he arched an eyebrow, suddenly becoming much more cooperative.

Later, as they were lying in bed, Fitz was once again staring at the ceiling, though this time with Olivia wide awake and resting curled up next to him. The side of her face was on his bare chest and her hand was up stroking the side of his hair, in an attempt to get him to relax enough to maybe pass out. His good arm was curled around her, his hand on her ribcage relatively possessively, which some part of her liked, and she smiled as he started to massage the area.

"So now I'm not the only one with a sexy scar," He told her as she traced one of his old gunshot scars, and she chuckled.

"Mine's not sexy," She replied, and he chuckled.

"I thought that might be for me to decide," He replied, turning on his side.

He scooted down, wrapping both arms around her, and holding her to his chest. He leaned his neck down and kissed her deeply, enjoying the moment with her. They laid there for hours together, and Fitz watched as Olivia fell back to sleep, her head firmly pressed against his chest, and his legs wrapped around hers. He kissed the top of her head, but he still couldn't fall asleep as the sun started rising through the window. He blinked, and it was much higher in the sky, and his alarm clock was going off.

"Time to get up, babe," She rolled over him, and shut it off.

"Mm?" He said, realizing then that he would do anything not to have to get out of bed.

"We have to be heading out in an hour," Olivia reminded him, and he nodded as he threw off the sheets and headed for the shower – which was when he realized that she was carrying the sheet with her.

"Livy," He paused to look her in the eye, "I promise, I meant what I said last night."

With that he hopped into the shower, and by the time he got out, Olivia had gotten the kids up. She hopped in after him, and he got into the outfit Cyrus and Liv had picked out for his speech at the Families Affected by Drunk Driving thing. He brushed his hair quickly and walked out into the kitchenette where the kids were all ready to go, and eating breakfast around the table. Layne handed him Desmond as he walked in.

"Morning, guys," He said as he draped a spit up cloth over his dress shirt.

"Dad, so tonight-"

"What about it?" Fitz asked, as Layne put a cup of hot coffee into his hand, "Thanks."

"Did you get any sleep?" Layne asked, and Fitz shook his head as she went to stop Jasper from spilling on himself.

"What's up, Karen?" Fitz asked and she swallowed.

"Gerry and I're going to come tonight," She told him, and he couldn't hide his surprise.

"What?" He asked, setting Desmond into his swing so that he could eat a power bar from the counter.

"We're coming tonight," Gerry said, "To support you. It can't be easy on you – and we know it's not going to be on Liv. So we're going to come, we'll sit with her, it's not like Jasper or Desmond can go for moral support yet."

"She'll have Cyrus, Huck, Abby, and Quinn," Fitz told them, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"We want to," Gerry replied as Liv came out of the bedroom – looking fabulous as usual.

"Ok," Fitz replied, and he looked to Liv, "Make sure you save two seats next to you tonight."

"Why?" She asked, kissing Jasper's head and then going to scoop Desmond up.

"Karen and Gerry want to sit with you," He said, and she smiled.

"Good," She said, kissing Desmond's head, "Everyone ready to go?"

The gathering of FEDD was much sadder than any of the family had expected. Other than during the speech, Layne and Karen looked after the two youngest while Gerry, Fitz, and Olivia mingled and spoke with the members and families. Fitz ran into a husband and wife that had been in the same situation as himself a couple weeks ago, only hadn't ended up so lucky. Their child hadn't made it, and he promised the man that he would do something, once in office. He announced that doing something about this epidemic was on the top of his list of new things that he would be introducing if he was given the opportunity to lead the country again.

It didn't seem like enough hours had passed before Fitz was standing backstage at the debate, Olivia, Gerry, and Karen standing with him. He had had to change from his more casual look he had had earlier in the day, to a suit. Layne was at the hotel with Jasper and Desmond, and he felt like he was going to be sick – of all the debates he had ever had to do – this was going to be the most painful. There was no way he could win. She was a long way behind him, but she was out for blood – she was always out for blood, what was she going to bring up?

He glanced over at her, she was on the opposite side of the stage. She was sitting with her daughter – Mackenzie – on her lap and her husband running in circles around her. She finally got what she had wanted – a lapdog for a husband. He shivered, she was glaring right at them – and it was no accident.

"Karen, Gerry," Olivia noticed his unease, "Why don't you go find Cyrus and the seats, ok?"

"Alright," Gerry said, leading Karen away towards the seats.

"You need to relax," She told him as soon as they left, "Deep breaths, do not let her into your head, ok?"

"It's hard," He replied, and she nodded as she put her hands up on his lapel.

"I know, she's a master of mind games, but you have to ignore them," Liv told him, "Damn, I wish you hadn't lost your pin."

"I don't know where it could have gone," He replied honestly and she smiled sheepishly.

"I'll just have to find you another one," She replied, "Any preferences?"

"Roosevelt?" He asked and she smiled.

"I'll try," She said as she leaned up and kissed him, "Remember, don't let her into your head, stay cool, and calm."

"Right."

"Fitz, one night you told me that your every feeling is controlled by the look on my face," She said, and he nodded.

"Still is."

"Good," She replied, fixing his hair a little bit, "Then ignore her, look at me. I'm sitting right up front."

"That could work," He replied, wrapping his arms around her, and he winced in pain as his hand seized up.

"We should go get that checked out," She said, his hand in hers within a second, and she was rubbing it softly.

"Who has time?" He smirked, and she nodded.

"As soon as we win the primary," She told him, and he nodded.

"Five minutes 'til we open the doors," The loud speaker announced, and Liv dropped his hand.

"A kiss for good luck?" He asked, leaning down and kissing her softly.

"Good luck, Mr. President," She smiled and she walked away towards the seats.

She sat down in the front row between Cyrus and Karen on Fitz's side. She took a deep breath and looked down the row, someone was missing.

"Cy, where's Huck?"

"He's working on something, he'll be a little late."


	13. Something

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you guys had a good holiday! Enjoy the chapter!

Second Time Around

Chapter Thirteen: Something

Huck very carefully arrived at the debate without causing too much commotion, and took a seat on the other side of Cyrus. She took a deep breath as the rest of the auditorium filled up with people, a few of the donors coming over to say hello to Olivia. She stood, graciously greeting them and inviting them to sit right behind them, the family. She stage crew was running around trying to get last minute things under control. They had let the people in late, so they were hurrying trying to get everything in place before they started the live feed.

"How were his spirits?" Cyrus leaned over and asked her and she shrugged.

"He was nervous, but I think he'll be ok," She replied, and Cyrus nodded affirmatively.

"Good," He replied, then turned to Huck as Gerry managed to catch Olivia's attention.

"What's up, Gerry?" Olivia asked him as they dimmed the lights, preparing for the debate.

"Are we going to be able to talk to him at some point during the debate?"

"It's live, so they have to take commercial breaks," Olivia told him, "Why?"

"Just wondering," He replied, as the announcer came over the speakers.

"Welcome to the New Hampshire Primary Debate," He said, "Where we'll be featuring a debate Between Mellie Johan, and the former president of the United States, Fitzgerald Grant III."

The crowd went crazy at the mention of Fitz's name, and Cyrus gave Olivia a satisfied look as Fitz came out from the right portion of the stage, Mellie coming out form the other. Cyrus had a smug, 'he's going to win this without breaking a sweat' look on his face, and Olivia just watched him carefully, trying to keep eye contact with him as he settled himself behind his podium. He smiled to her, and she felt a little bit better as Gerry and Karen both showed him signs of encouragement, and that they were proud of him. Olivia smiled even wider at that as she relaxed a little in her seat.

"Welcome, both of you," The mediator said, as they got to their podiums, "We're going to try and make this quick, and keep it going, ok? There are a lot of questions that have rolled it, and I'd like to get to as many as possible. The first one is for you, Former President Grant. How have you changed as a person and as a leader since we saw you four years ago?"

"That's an excellent question," He replied, and she saw a faint smile – it was one of the ones they had expected, "I'd say that I'd be much better off this time around. I know what I'm getting into, and know what I'm doing this time around. I have the experience that very few others have had. Besides this, I've grown as a person, in the past four years I've completely turned my life around. I hated my life, just about everything about it. While I put everything I could into my previous presidency, I simply didn't have as much of myself to give as I do now. I wasn't in a particularly good position to be president, but now I like to think that I am much better off – am doing much better in my own life – I like the person that I am now. That wasn't true four years ago, and I've come to realize all the more that I have to give to this country now that I'm settled, and firmly in a place that I love."

His response was perfect, because it was one of the questions they had been anticipating. They had rehearsed exactly what he was going to say, down to the uncertainties and the little things that would make it seem less scripted. It was a nice way for him to open up the debate, a nice way for him to find some confidence, and for that Olivia was thankful. However, after a couple questions about family values, and foreign policies – it was starting to get ugly, and fast. Olivia and Cyrus just about hopped up to their feet as soon as they called for a mid-debate break.

"You guys stay here, ok?" Olivia told Gerry and Karen, and they nodded – surprised at the viciousness that was happening in front of their eyes.

Olivia and Cyrus rushed backstage where Fitz was sitting down in a canvas chair and had just been handed a water bottle. Mellie was talking in depth with some of her advisors on the other side of the stage, and Olivia took a deep breath as she and Cy made the last few steps over to where he was sitting.

"I'm getting killed out there," He replied, "She just keeps attacking me, I don't even know what to do."

"Let her attack you," Olivia replied, "Babe, we need to re-strategize. You need to let her attack you, but make her seem uncredible as she's doing it. Mellie's not going to stop attacking you. Make it seem like she's just being a petty ex-wife looking for revenge. Ignore her, let her dig herself into that ditch. Don't mention anything about her, you have to make her seem like she's just in this to get back at you – not like she would make a good president."

"That's brilliant," Cyrus commented, "You come off as the good guy who's ready to get down to business, and she-"

"Comes off as not a viable candidate, a crazy ex," He finished and they both nodded, "And that will work?"

"Just keep your head level," Olivia told him, as Cyrus walked away – satisfied, and Olivia took a seat on his lap.

"Well, I'm much calmer now," He said as she leaned in and kissed the side of his head lovingly.

"We will get you through this, ok?" She replied and he nodded as her phone started to ring, "Hello?"

"It's your mother," Layne said, loud enough so that Fitz could even hear, "It's Jasper's bedtime and he wanted to say goodnight."

"Ok, mom," Olivia replied, and Fitz smiled, "Put him on."

"Mommy?"

"Hey sweetie," Olivia smiled, "You all ready for bed?"

"Yeah, Grammy's about to read me a story," He informed her, and she smiled.

"Ok," Olivia said, "You have good sweet dreams ok, and kiss Des's head for me, ok?"

"Ok," He replied, and Olivia smiled.

"Do you want to talk to daddy?" She asked, and the squeal of excitement from her son answered her question as she handed him the phone.

"Hey, Jazz," Fitz smiled as he held the phone to his ear with one hand and ran his other hand through Olivia's hair, "Have you been a good boy for Grammy?"

"Yes," Jasper said proudly.

"Good, make sure you get some rest, ok, buddy?" He said, "Tomorrow we're all going to go to a lunch, ok?"

"I get to come?" He replied and Fitz smiled.

"Sure do, sport," He said, "And we're going to go see that movie you want to see afterwards, is that ok with you?"

"Stop riling him up," Olivia said, patting his chest, "My mother has to put him to bed."

"But you have to be good for Grammy, ok?" He told him, leaning and silently pressing his lips against the side of Olivia's head, "Or we're not going to be able to go."

"I'll go right to sleep, daddy."

"Good man," Fitz smiled, "I love you. Now get some sweet dreams in, ok – he hung up on me."

"He went to bed," Olivia smiled and Fitz chuckled as he handed her back her phone with a kiss – and not one that was generally exchanged between the two in public, "Fitz."

"Mmm, I love so much," He smiled, starry eyed as she pulled her a little tighter.

"Remember, keep your head," She replied, and he smirked so that she kissed him quickly again, "There will be plenty of time for that later this evening."

"Oh? Later this evening?" He asked, and she fixed his hair, using her fingers as a comb.

"You have to go back out there," She replied, kissing his cheek and hopping off of his lap.

Olivia walked back to her seat to find Gerry and Karen watching Mellie's side of the stage, where she was – in the clear view of the audience playing with her new daughter. Olivia didn't remember her name, but she was sure both of them knew it all too well. Mellie's side of the debate was not only getting ugly, it was getting personal, and angry – and that wasn't just for Fitz. Karen and Gerry had just sat through an hour of their estranged mother pretending that she was saint, and that their father who they loved was such a terrible man. She took a deep breath and looked at Huck, who seemed for some reason to be on high alert. She didn't know what to do. She took a deep breath as she looked over at her heartbroken Gerry and Karen – Yes, her Gerry, and her Karen.

"How's dad?" Gerry asked as she walked over, and she nodded.

"He's fine," She replied, she just wanted to hug both of them, and she looked back over to see Mellie's husband make eye contact with her, "Are you two ok?"

"Meh," Karen replied as Olivia looked back at them, they were still watching Mellie.

"Have you guys even met her?" Olivia asked out of curiosity and they shook their heads

"No, we've never met Sophia," Karen replied and Olivia nodded as Mellie was taken off to makeup and she unceremoniously dropped Sophia into the arms of her husband.

"You guys don't have to stay," Olivia told them, "I'm ok, and I can take care of your dad. You guys don't have to listen to any more of this. It's only going to get worse."

"No, it's ok," Gerry replied, "We're staying."

"You should really head out," Olivia cautioned them, and Karen shook her head.

"Absolutely not," She replied, "We're here for you and dad. Mo-Mellie can't do any more to hurt us – she's pretty much reached rock bottom to us."

"Ok," Olivia replied, and she turned around and almost walked right into Mellie's husband, Sophia on his hip.

"Hi," He said, he was kind, sweet, cowardly, and shy – just what Mellie needed in a husband.

"What's up?" Olivia asked, subconsciously stepping in front of where Gerry and Karen were sitting, "What're you doing here?"

"She's not evil," He was speaking to all of them, "She just wanted to refresh, restart. And that doesn't mean that I condone what she's been doing, or all that she has been saying tonight. But I do want my daughter to at least meet her older brother and sister, if they're willing."

"Of course," Gerry replied, and he sat Sophia between them.

"Does Mellie know this?" Olivia asked, at a loss for his name.

"Jack," He replied, shaking her hand, "No, which was why it might be good if you two would take her out to the hall and play with her or something? She just found out about you guys the other day, and she's been iching to meet you both."

"Of course," Gerry smiled as she slipped down onto the floor, taking one hand as Karen took the other.

"Timlin," Olivia addressed an agent, and he followed the kids out into the hall, "Thank you."

"No problem," Jack replied, "I saw 'em watching her, and I saw their faces when the debate started getting – heated. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, they get to see Sophia, and we get them out of the auditorium. I feel bad – I can't manage to get her to help the situation with them. It makes me worry about what would happen if she and I didn't work out – would she just abandon Sophia?"

"I don't know," Olivia answered truthfully as the lights started to flicker down, "At this point I don't see what can be done between Mellie and the kids. She missed so much, even if she did genuinely want to patch things up with them – She missed Karen's sixteenth birthday, she missed Gerry's graduation, Karen's graduation. She missed the first time a boy broke Karen's heart – and when Gerry crashed his car and was in the hospital for three days. Three days, and not even a call to check on him."

Jack didn't know what to say – Olivia could read it on his face. He was a good man, she could tell. Why did Mellie always choose the most innocent of victims? The kindest?

"You're doing a good job with them," He replied, starting to walk away, "I'll send them back after the debate, ok?"

"Ok," Olivia said as she sat down next to Cy, who again was in deep conversation with Huck – one that stopped as soon as she sat.

"You got the kids out?" Huck asked and Olivia nodded, "He seems like a good guy – what's he doing with Maleficent?"

"What was Fitz ever doing with her?" Olivia replied their conversation in a hushed whisper, "She's manipulative, she's fake…"

"She makes them think she's a patron saint of everything," Cy threw in.

"Touché," Huck replied.

"What are you two whispering about?" Olivia asked as the lights went down permanently.

"We'll discuss it later," Cyrus replied as Mellie and Fitz retook their places behind their podiums.


	14. Successful

A/N: Hey guys! Short chapter, but I'll try to update as soon as possible… So thanks for the reviews and the love….

Second Time Around

Chapter Fourteen: Successful

"Success?" Fitz asked, somewhat nervously as Olivia walked backstage with Cyrus after the debate.

"She looked like a bitch," Cyrus said with a huge victorious smile on his face, "You plowed over her, without looking like you were plowing over the mother of your two oldest children. It was excellent. Perfect, Mr. President."

"Hey, we're not even halfway there," He replied as he wrapped his arm low around Olivia's waist, pulling her closer to him.

"You were brilliant," She smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek – but he moved to catch her lips with his.

"Thank you," He smiled at her surprised look as they started heading out, "Where're the kids?"

"Jack thought it would be a good opportunity to sneak in a meeting between them and Sophia," She replied, and he nodded, "They should be here in a few minutes. It also got them out of the room before Mellie got really ugly."

"Very true," He replied as Cy ran ahead of them to catch up with Huck, who was now standing in the middle of the empty auditorium.

The only other people there were Jack, who was apparently waiting for Mellie to be ready to go, and waiting for Karen and Gerry to bring Sophia back. Fitz tightened his grip around Olivia as he noticed that Jack was watching her as they were walking. As hard as he tried to mask it, and stop it from boiling up inside of him – he felt the jealousy rising up. He kissed the side of her head and sighed.

"What's up, babe?" Olivia asked, noticing almost immediately that something was not quite right.

"He didn't – try anything – did he?" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Fitz," She said and he shrugged.

"Sorry, he's just watching you," He replied, "And I can't help but feel like he's feeling like I was six years ago."

"Well, if that is the case, he's going to have to find a different woman to ride in on a white horse a save him," She said, looking up at him, both of his hands in her's, "Because I'm already taken."

"Good to hear," He smiled as he pulled her in close, kissing her softly.

"You're kinda cute when you're jealous," She commented as Gerry and Karen walked back into the auditorium with Timlin, and Sophia holding tightly to their hands.

"Here you are," Gerry said, as Karen went over to Liv and Fitz, and he delivered Sophia back to Jack.

"Daddy, Liv," She said, yawning, "Can we got back to the hotel now?"

"We were just waiting on you two," Fitz replied as Gerry walked over – though he refused to let go of Liv.

"Are we ready to head out?" Tom asked as he, Huck, and Cyrus walked over to them.

"Yeah," Fitz replied, and they all piled into the limo that they had been sporting around since they had gotten to New Hampshire.

"Ok, we're going to accompany you back to the hotel," Cyrus told Fitz seriously, in a whisper as to not alert the rest of the family, "There's something that you need to be made aware of."

"What is it?" Fitz asked, equally as quiet as Karen and Gerry talked about something to do with school, and going back, and Olivia was discussing something with Huck.

"I think you're going to want to wait until we get to the hotel," He replied, and Fitz nodded, "Go back, get everyone settled – but meet me down in the ballroom – take Tom with you, leave Huck in the suite."

"Should I bring Liv?" Fitz asked, and Cyrus sighed.

"I don't think she'd appreciate being left behind," Cyrus replied, and Fitz nodded.

The rest of the ride back to the hotel was relatively quiet. Once Gerry and Karen had quieted down, so had the adults – all sitting in a little bit of awkwardness. Fitz leaned over and kissed Olivia's temple, still not quite happy with the way that Jack had been watching her. She snuggled up against him as best she could in the car, until they pulled up to the hotel, and Karen seemed to be looking through her purse.

"What's wrong, Kare?" Fitz asked and she shook her head.

"I can't find my wallet," She replied.

"Are you sure you brought it?" Huck asked, almost instantly.

"Yeah," She replied, "I had my hotel key in it so that I could go for a swim if I was up to it after the debate. I thought it might make me feel a little better."

"You had the hotel key in the wallet?" Cyrus asked as Olivia went to open the door, which Huck blocked.

"Damn it," Huck breathed and Fitz just looked over at Cy.

"What is going on?"

"It's not safe for you guys to go up to the room," Huck replied, and Olivia's eyes went wide.

"Huck, my sons and my mother are up in that room." Olivia said every word very carefully and he nodded.

"You two, you can't stay here," He replied, looking into Olivia's eyes – intensely, "I will go and get the boys, and your mother. I will get them, ok?"

"Take some secret service with you," Cyrus told him, and he shook his head.

"I've got it," He replied.

"Bring them to the Marriot, it's a couple miles east of here," Cyrus said, "I'll send a car."

"Alright," Huck replied, hopping out of the car and running into the hotel.

"Tom," Cyrus said as the car screeched away from the curb, and headed speeding off toward the Marriot, the closest hotel to where they were, "Call the agents that we left with the them, tell them to not let anyone in other than Huck."

"Yes, sir," Tom replied, pulling out his phone.

Cyrus and he were making phone calls the whole time the limo raced to the Marriot. By the time it came screeching to a halt in the drop off the whole place was crawling with Secret Service agents. The four of them were escorted by themselves, confused and not knowing what was going on as far as anything else. Gerry and Karen were the first ones out of the limo, each with two guards and were taken in two different directions. Olivia was next, and the guards showed up at the door to the limo.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'm sure you're going to tell me," Fitz said firmly to Tom, who was still sitting in the limo with them, and he nodded, "But, you're not splitting us up."

"Yes, Sir," He replied, eyeing Olivia nervously, she was clinging to Fitz, terrified for her boys. Then spoke into his sleeve, "We're going to need another six agents. We're doing a double."

Within a few minutes more than six agents had appeared at the door, opening it and taking both of them into the hotel. They brought them straight to the elevator, and brought them up to one of the middle floors, random. They ushered them straight down the hallway and into a room – where Karen and Gerry were already sitting on a couple of the beds.

"Dad, what's going on?" Gerry hopped up as soon as they appeared in the room.

"Where're the boys?" Karen asked and Olivia was visibly shaking.

"Huck is getting the boys, and Layne," Fitz tried to calm both Karen and Olivia simultaneously, "Gerry, I don't know what's going on. We all just need to take a deep breath, we're safe – there is an army of secret service that are watching over us. We have to wait for Cyrus and Tom to come up and tell us what's going on. Huck is in charge of getting the boys – and if I could pick anyone in the world to protect the boys, other than myself – it would be Huck. So we all just need to relax, and take a deep breath. They left agents with Layne and the boys. We don't know what's going on – there's no need to panic right now."

He managed to get Olivia to sit down, though she was still shaking and he went into the closet and got a fleece blanket, slipping it over his shoulders. The boys would be fine, he couldn't let himself start to think anything else, he didn't even know what was going on – he couldn't let himself think anything. He just went to work taking care of the family that he had with him. He snagged bottles of water from the mini fridge and passed them out to the kids and Liv – just as Cyrus, and Tom walked into the room.

"What the hell is going on, Cy?" Fitz asked as soon as they walked in, and they both took a deep breath and swallowed.

"It came to Huck's attention earlier this evening, that there's been some issues," Cyrus said, and Tom nodded.

"Mr. President, you are being followed - stalked," Tom said simply, "You have been since possibly before boss even accepted the nomination. We had been getting threats, but none of them were credible, until this afternoon."

"What changed?" Fitz asked.

"Just some details that otherwise wouldn't have been available to him," Cyrus replied, "And he seems to be hostile towards you. He seems to be envious of your success, and deranged enough to actually be dangerous. Something about him being the real you."

"Where's Huck?" Fitz said, instantly, "It shouldn't be taking him this long."

"We're working on it, Sir," Tom replied, "We didn't get a response from the agents that were left from them."

"So where are my boys?" Olivia asked, getting up from the bed.

"We don't know," Tom said, staring at the floor.

"You don't know?" Olivia's voice reached a pitch that no one in the room had even heard of before, "I must have misheard you, because there's no way in hell that you would stand in front of me and tell me you don't know where my children are. Especially after you just told me that there is a deranged man who believes that he is my husband who has been following us for months, maybe a year – and you had no idea. You do not stand in front of me and tell me that my three year old and my infant are missing-"

"Liv," Fitz croaked as Gerry and Karen just sat on the bed, confounded.

"NO," She told him, and he stepped back as she turned back on Cy and Tom, "You two are going out there, right now and you are finding my boys – and my mother – and bringing them here!"

"Yes, ma'am," Tom replied, as he backed out of the room – dragging Cy with him.

"Liv."

"Fitz."

She was visibly shaking again, this time so much that he was starting to worry about her falling over. It was a weird feeling that he had over himself, like his heart hadn't quite been ripped out, but it was slowly headed south, until soon it would just be in his gut – and not beating properly. He took Olivia into his arms.

"What if something happened to them?" Olivia asked, "What if whoever this person is got to them? My boys? My mom? What happens…"

"Slow down," He replied, kissing the top of her head as he picked her up – she was too far gone to argue as he sat on the bed with her in his arms, "We don't know that any of that happened, yet – so let's not worry about it until we have too, ok?"

"My sweater, Jasper's blanket, your pin," Olivia breathed, and he nodded.

"I know, those are the first things I thought of too," He replied, "It just makes me wonder what else they were able to take without us knowing."

"My wallet," Karen piped up, "I left my purse in the seat when we went to play with Sophia. If anything happens to them, it's my fault. I left the key where anyone could get it – my baby brothers…"

"Karen, don't be stupid," Gerry said as he put an arm around her and she started to cry, "You didn't know – none of us did. How would they get your wallet from your seat? Liv and Cy were right there –"

"Not when we went backstage," Olivia replied, "No one was there, but all our stuff was down. This is not your fault, Karen – and it never will be. Unless you are the person who is directly threatening us – which I doubt, because you are here – I don't ever want to hear you blaming yourself, no matter what happens."

"They're going to be ok," Fitz said, trying more to convince himself more than anyone else in the room.


	15. Life Happens

A/N: So, I've just found 'Wanting Things' from Promises, Promises, sang by ( .dun.) Tony Goldwyn… it's fantastic… anyways…. Enjoy the chapter

Second Time Around

Chapter Fifteen: Life Happens

Fitz was pacing back and forth in the hotel room, nearly bursting out of his skin that there was nothing that he could do. Olivia was sitting at the table, her hand holding her head up – completely out of it, dazing off into space. Gerry and Karen had long since fallen asleep. Fitz had personally watched them fighting it, as their eyes had gotten heavier and heavier as if they were still small children. Then finally, they had fallen asleep on top of the bed. He had to stop pacing, so he went over to the closet and got blankets, draping one over each of them. Then, he sat down at the table across from Olivia.

"I don't know what to do, Liv," He breathed, "Livy, tell me what to do."

Olivia was ripped from her own little world – where she was happily holding Desmond, and playing with Jasper to look across the table at her husband. He looked as if he was coming apart at the seams. His hair was mess, from repeatedly running his hands through it in frustration. His shirt had been unceremoniously untucked and was at that point all wrinkled, his tie long since abandoned onto the floor. He was a mess, and she understood, he was like her, he wasn't used to not being able to fix things for them. She got up and walked away from the table without saying a word, and went and laid in the bed.

"Hold me, babe," She breathed, holding the bedding up so that he could crawl in with her.

He got up and went over to her, kicking off his shoes and sliding in right beside her. She let the covers fall, and he took her into his arms carefully. They were propped up on pillows so that they were sitting up – but it wasn't like either of them were in danger of falling asleep – at least until they knew the rest of their family was safe. Not until Jasper, Desmond, and Layne were found. Fitz took a deep breath as he kissed Olivia's forehead.

"I love you," He whispered, trying to keep her as calm as possible, even though she was probably just as shaky as she was.

"What're we going to do?" Olivia whispered, snuggling into his chest, moving so that she could be closer to him, "What do we do if we end up losing them?"

He took a deep breath. This was not a panicky response to being terrified – it was a serious question.

"Then we work through it," He replied with the only thing that he could think of, "We quit the campaign, and we work through it together."

"Quit?" She replied, "So that we're sitting in an empty house, doing nothing but missing our boys?"

"We do whatever you want, ok Liv?" He replied, "It doesn't matter to me, except for the fact that I'm with you."

"I love you," She replied, leaning up and kissing him softly, "But I don't know what I'm going to do if the boys don't come home safe."

"They will," He said, his eyes full of hope and belief as he looked down into her beautiful eyes.

Just then the door just about flew open, and they jumped about two feet in the air before they realized who it was walking in. Huck was the first one in view, and he was carrying a bundle of blankets, which could have only been Desmond. Behind him was Tom, carrying Jasper – who was crying.

"Baby," Olivia jumped out of bed and to Tom, taking Jasper into her arms, holding his head into her shoulder.

"How is he?" Fitz asked, as he arrived at Huck's side, taking Desmond from him – who Huck happily handed over.

"He's fine, he slept the whole time," He replied as Olivia continued to try and comfort the older boy as Karen and Gerry came around to their senses, both looking on.

"Jasper, baby," Olivia said as she bounced him up and down softly, "What's wrong?"

"What happened?" Fitz asked as he kissed Desmond's head, "What took so long? Huck – are you bleeding?"

"No," He replied, hiding his sleeve from view, "We ran into a little difficulty in your hotel suite."

"Difficulty?" Fitz asked.

"Where's my mom?" Olivia asked as he heart dropped several stories.

"Like I said, there was some difficulty," He replied.

"Difficulty." Olivia said, Huck and her eyes meeting.

They were reverting to their silent understanding – something that Fitz had never been in on. He managed to catch Olivia's attention with a puzzled look. He had once been jealous of her and Huck's connection, but he very quickly had just dropped it.

"My mother's dead," Olivia stated, nearly collapsing for the umpteenth time that night onto the bed, clinging to Jasper.

"What happened?" Fitz said as he traded sons with Olivia.

She scooted back so that she was holding the baby and leaning against the headboard. He had Jasper very carefully wrapped up in his arms as he sat down on the edge of the bed, Gerry beside him as Karen scooted over to sit next to Olivia. Olivia held Desmond in one arm, kissing his head as she wrapped her free arm around Karen's shoulders lovingly. Karen leaned over and put her head on her shoulder as Fitz snuggled Jasper into his shoulder, still trying to comfort the whimpering boy.

"When I got up to the room, the secret service was running in circles – tripping over each other," Huck sighed heavily, "It was so chaotic, but I went straight to he door – which was open. Layne was on the couch, bloody, her throat had been cut – so was pale – dead. But that's not where she had died, the puddle of blood was on the floor. I then went into Jasper's room, and no one was there. So I turned and went to Desmond's. The baby was under a blanket, one from Jasper's bed, and Jasper was hiding underneath his crib. We've notified your father, he's on his way up."

"What were you doing in Desmond's room, buddy?" Fitz asked Jasper as he leaned away from his shoulder.

"Grandma told me to get up," He said, "To get out, I heard her screaming. But I had to get Des. I went into his room – but I didn't know how to open his crib. So, I threw my blanket over him, so he was hidden, locked the door, and crawled under the crib."

"Oh, Jazz," Fitz said as he held Jasper just a little bit tighter.

"Did you catch him?"

"No."

"Well how did he get out?" Fitz asked, kissing the top of Jasper's head again as he realized he was gripping him much too tight, and handed him over to Gerry.

"Jasper's window was left wide open – it's right over the fire escape," Huck said, "The agents outside the door heard Layne screaming and burst through the door – he must have escaped right out of the window and down the fire escape."

"So he's still out there," Olivia said, as Gerry let Jasper crawl across the bed and to his mother's side.

"Yes," Tom replied, "But we're working on it. The medical examiner has your mother – and we're looking – ok."

"I'm on it as soon as I leave here," Huck said, nodding.

"Thank you, Huck," Fitz replied, and he nodded as he bowed out of the room.

"We'll let you guys have a few minutes," Tom said as he left the room, Huck following him out.

Tears were starting to roll down Olivia's face – and Karen was attempting to comfort her, as was Jasper. Gerry moved back over to the other bed, and looked out the window before he closed the blinds. He then went and sat on the other bed, just watching them – not sure what to do. Fitz took a deep breath, then got up off the bed. He walked around to the other side.

"Do not even think about taking this baby away from me," Olivia said, and Fitz put his hands up as if surrendering.

"I wasn't even thinking about that," He said as she scooted over and let him sit next to her on a small patch of bed, where he wrapped an arm around her.

"Karen, Gerry," Tom said as he walked into the room a few minutes later, "We have another room secured if you'd like your own beds this evening."

"Thank you," Karen said as she got off the bed and her and Gerry followed Tom out of the room.

Fitz took a deep breath as he looked down and saw that Jasper had fallen asleep against Olivia. Fitz carefully removed himself from beside her, and carried Jasper very carefully over to the next bed, where he could tuck him in. He kissed the side of his head and then returned to climb back into bed with Olivia. He took off his dress shirt and discarded it onto the floor, taking Olivia carefully in his arms, Desmond between them as he kissed her head.

"Go ahead and get some sleep," She said, looking up at him – and how tired he looked.

"I was about to say the same to you," He replied, his hand caressing her arm, "We're going to have a hard next couple days."

"My father's on his way here," Olivia said and Fitz nodded.

"They'll need someone to officially identify the body," He replied and Olivia shuttered, "It's going to be ok."

"He killed my mother. He sliced her throat," Olivia said, "God knows what he would have done to the boys if he had had time."

"Jasper saved their lives," Fitz said, shock of it still nearly paralyzing him, "He went to save Desmond, and managed to save himself too. My God, what would have happened if he had tried to run."

"He would have run right into him," Olivia replied.

Neither of them knew in the morning when they had fallen asleep, but when they woke up Jasper was up and sitting on the end of the bed. He was bouncing up and down, and suddenly it was no secret how they had woken up. Fitz took a deep breath, and then was slightly startled to hear Liv doing the same. He smiled slightly, as she climbed out of bed. He rolled out of the other side, and went to the door – where several agents and Karen and Gerry were standing around.

"Karen, Gerry," Fitz said, "Would you mind making sure the boys are all ready to go?"

"Go where?" Karen asked and Fitz shrugged.

"Home," He replied, "We're all done as far as I'm concerned. There's nothing else – they're voting tomorrow – but I don't see why we have to be here."

"Ok," Gerry said, picking Jasper up as Olivia came over with Desmond, handing him gingerly over to Karen and then handing Gerry the diaper bag.

"Sir," Tom said, "We'll go to the hotel – grab all of your personal effects then bring them down to the house."

"Thank you, Tom," He replied and Tom nodded.

"We're getting back just in time for the fourth," Olivia said, and Fitz nodded, "We're burying my mother."

"We're burying your mother," Fitz confirmed, sad – he had always liked and gotten along with her.

He was waiting, when they got home, for the guilt. He already felt guilty enough. He didn't have to hear from Jackson that it was at least partly his fault that Layne was dead. He knew, he knew it all too well. If they hadn't asked her to come, she would be very much alive – and whatever nanny they had hired would have been the one that died. If he had never run, well – who ever did it would have gotten him, whenever he had decided to break into the house. Fitz would have gone to investigate, and it would have been him that had his throat cut protecting the boys. In Jackson's brain it would go all the way back to when Fitz had even married Liv.

"This is not your fault," Olivia read his mind as she walked over to him, putting her arms around me, "You have never done anything but love me, Fitz. If it's your fault – it's my fault. And you would never in a million years think that this was my fault, would you?"

"Livy," He breathed, as she pulled him in tighter.

"It's not your fault – whatsoever," Olivia told him firmly, "You were nothing but good to my mother – and she volunteered to come along and watch the kids."

"She didn't volunteer for _this_."

"She died protecting her grandchildren, Fitz," She said firmly – in her fixer voice, "Do you think whatever nanny we hired would have done that? – Fitz, I just lost my mother, I am not losing my husband too."

"You're right, you're not," He replied, "I was shot three times, last time. This time, our son was traumatized and your mother was killed – our boys were almost killed. That man was in Jasper's bedroom. I am not going to sacrifice any more of our family to be president."

"Fitz, he was following us before you even accepted the nomination," Olivia said, "The only reason the boys weren't hurt was because there was so much security."

"But maybe if we weren't traveling so much they would have found out about him earlier," Fitz said.

"Huck found him." Olivia stated, "Huck wouldn't have been looking into it…"

"Well then I guess I was supposed to run," He replied, "But this is insane, we know now – I will pay for exta security, but I'm throwing the race, I'm going to withdraw."


	16. In the Back

A/N: Hey guys... hope you like the chapter!

Second Time Around

Chapter Sixteen: In the Back

"…We are standing outside the funeral of former President, and current presidential candidate Fitzgerald Grant's mother-in-law's funeral," said one blonde reporter , surrounded by others outside and a little ways down the street from the church, "Not much is known about the circumstances surrounding Layne Pope's death, we are simply told that there was a break in at the hotel where she was watching her grandchildren while her daughter and Grant were at the most recent of the debates in New Hampshire. The body was then transported back home to Maryland for the services. Now, Former President Grant has not released anything on whether this will have an effect on his campaign. He had did in fact win New Hampshire, but we'll have to wait and see if he accepts in light of his family's latest tragedy – he technically still has four days to officially accept. Though I wouldn't expect anyone to say anything until after today…"

"Everybody ready to go?" Fitz asked as he stood in the kitchen.

Tom, Timlin, and a few other agents were everywhere – Fitz wasn't taking any sort of chances. Gerry and Karen were sitting at the table in their funeral garb. Jasper was sitting contently on Fitz's hip, and Jackson was firmly in Jackson's arms as he was sitting in the corner. Samantha they had settled in the living room with her girls and Travis. They were just waiting on Olivia, and Fitz was about to go up and check on her. The limo was waiting outside, and while Samantha was doing better – he didn't want to disturb her until they were actually going.

"Why don't you go up and check on her, Fitzgerald," Jackson said condescendingly, "You don't want to make poor Samantha move until you have to, do you?"

Fitz took a deep breath, and thanked his lucky stars that they hadn't told Jackson the whole story – no one knew the whole story. Gerry, Katelyn, he, and Liv were the only ones that knew – for security reasons. However, as badly as Jackson was treating him now, he knew it would have been much worse had he known. He had spilled his guts to Travis when they got back to Maryland – but he had understood, and Fitz felt that he could be trusted - and he had the right to know. To Jackson, it wouldn't have made a real difference. And besides all that, Travis was the closest thing he had to an actual friend who didn't have any political affiliations.

"I was just about to go up and check," Fitz replied with a forced kindness as he went up the stairs.

There was another agent waiting outside in the hall, he he nodded to him as he went into Liv and his bedroom. He took a deep breath as he walked in, fixing his suit as he watched Olivia slip on her stilettos.

"You sure you want to go with those so soon?" Fitz asked, she had just been able to take the walking cast off.

"I can do it," She said pointedly, and he nodded as she stood up.

"Ok," He replied, sitting down on the bed behind her, "But there's no shame in flats."

"I can do it."

"Ok."

"I just have to touch up my make up," She said, very business-like and Fitz nodded.

"Ok," He said, still watching her, about a minute later she turned around .

"How do I look?" She asked, and he nodded.

She pouted a little bit, his eyes were fixed upon her face. Usually his eyes were everywhere – it wasn't that he always had his eyes somewhere else but her's – he just usually at least gave her a once over. She wasn't concerned, she knew that he was tired, and that he wasn't sleeping, and that he was worried about her. She walked carefully over to where he was sitting, and ran her fingers carefully through his hair – with the grain.

"Babe," She said, leaning down and kissing his forehead, "You have to start sleeping."

"I'm fine," He replied and she shook her head, "We both know I'm not going to be able to sleep until they catch him."

"That's gonna be a while," Olivia replied, "You heard what Huck said, they don't even have the beginnings of a lead – whoever this is, they're not an idiot. They knew how to hide themselves."

"That's supposed to be comforting?" He asked sarcastically as he got up and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's supposed to make you realize that you can't do anything about it," She replied, "It's supposed to make you realize that you can't not live, and you can't give up your candidacy."

"I told you I would wait until after the funeral to make any official decision," He said as he took her hand, "But I'm still leaning towards giving it up. Livy, do you realize how much trouble it's been to us so far?"

"We were already in trouble, Fitz," She replied and he nodded.

"Well, I don't want you worrying about it today," He said as he leaned in and kissed her, "Today's about you, and your family, and putting your mother to rest, ok? Today isn't about me – or the race, ok?"

"Fine," She said and he let his arms drop, taking her hand.

"Are you ready?" He asked, and he saw her version of a stiff upper lip – something no one but Fitz would have noticed.

"As I'll ever be," She replied, letting him lead her out into the hall – where the secret service agent went to lead them out.

"I'll be right here with you the whole time," He replied, she squeezed his hand appreciatively.

When they got downstairs, just about everyone had already been piled into the stretch limo Fitz had hired to take them to the church. It was black, and had an escort – just in case. The little ones' booster seats, and Desmond's car seat had been installed into a couple of the seats by the secret service. Travis and Samantha's youngest, Maddie, was six – and still required a booster seat. The two older girls were fine, Jen and Leah were ten and thirteen – and very proudly already sitting with Karen and Gerry.

"Everyone all set?" Travis checked this time, after exchanging looks with Fitz.

"All set," Jackson said, then giving a confused look as Tom climbed in – sitting in the last seat available on the other side of Desmond.

They got to the church, and Fitz shuttered when he realized how many cameras and press were outside the doors. The secret service started pushing them further down the street as the limousine pulled up to the curb. He could feel Jackson glaring at him, and he understood. Layne didn't deserve this, the media frenzy – it wasn't right, but it was unavoidable.

"Livy," He whispered, "If You and Travis can take Desmond and Maddie, and help your father in. I'll get Jasper and help Samantha in."

"Ok," She whispered back, and Travis nodded.

"You guys go first," Samantha said, and Jackson nodded as she looked over to Karen and Gerry, "You guys mind keeping your eyes on the girls? Just make sure they get into the church, quickly?"

"Of course," Karen said, as an Agent came and opened the door for them.

Maddie unbuckled herself, and went to Travis as Olivia scooped Desmond out of his car seat, the diaper bag over her shoulder. Jackson was the first one out of the limo, followed closely by Olivia with Desmond, and Travis with Maddie, who was almost instantaneously on his back. Fitz unbuckled Jasper and carried him out of the limo, setting him down just outside so that he could help Samantha out of the car, Gerry helping her on the inside. Fitz then got Jasper up on his hip, and offered Samantha a steadying arm as the rest of the kids climbed out of the car.

The cameras flashed ferociously, but everyone simply walked facing forward. Fitz handed Jasper to Gerry as they got to the bottom of the church steps so that he could make sure that Sam got up them ok. Once they got into the church, it was a much calmer – safer environment. Security was everywhere – again, just in case. Fitz was able to hand Samantha off to Travis, and Find Olivia. Gerry, Karen, and Jasper sat in the second row with Jen, Maddie, and Leah. Fitz took his seat in the front with Olivia, who was showing signs of her excellent shield starting to go faulty. She had Desmond sleeping in her arms – and Fitz wrapped his arm around her.

"I love you," He whispered, "It's ok, to cry you know."

"No," She replied, and he nodded, kissing the side of her head once again.

Fitz stayed by her side as best he could the rest of the day, just in case her tough outer shell began to crack. She didn't so much as complain about her feet hurting from the stilettos – or her leg, which she was still working on rehabilitating. She was just fine all day, she did what she was supposed to, just like she always did. After they went to the cemetery, everyone went back to the Grant household. Gerry and Karen entertained the little ones while a few close family friends, Fitz, and Liv had coffee and something to eat. Fitz running around trying to make sure that everyone was satisfied and happy.

He took a deep breath later that night, once everyone had gone – Jackson's glaring and judging eyes no exception to the relief that he was feeling as he finished putting Jasper to bed. He shut off the lights and went through the hall, passing all the agents that were stationed through outs the house, as he walked to his bedroom. It was worse than when they had lived in the white house. He sighed again as he walked in, Olivia was snuggling Desmond on the bed, the news was on TV as he hopped up beside her.

"Shh, I'm trying to get him to sleep," Olivia siad, handing him the book that she had apparently just finished reading to him.

"Sorry," Fitz said simply

His picture carrying Jasper into the funeral flashed across the screen, and the reporter started speaking again.

"It is quite strange to see such a powerful, and important man taking such a backseat," She siad, "None of the family made any comments to the press, and the only shots that we got displayed a few solemn Grant. He was taking care of the kids, at one point in the cemetery he was supporting Olivia. This is a very different side of him that we haven't really gotten to see."

"The doting husband," another of the news people said as Liv got up and placed the sleeping baby into his basinet.

"And the woman that he was helping in," the first said, "Was his sister in law, who has been battling cancer for the past few years."

"That's enough of that," He said, reaching for the remote, "Livy, why do you watch this?"

"People are saying good things about my husband," She smiled as she crawled back onto the bed, and into his arms, "I like to watch the envy."

"Oh, yeah?" He replied, and she nodded as he nuzzled his face into the side of her neck.

"Fitz," She said, still watching the screen, "You can't give up."

"Liv, it's not worth it," He replied, "Besides, I haven't even thought of a vice president yet. Mellie can run – she'll be extatic, she won't win."

"And if the democratic party doesn't get a viable candidate – she will be," Olivia said, "Can you imagine the eighteen different ways that she will screw this country over?"

"Only eighteen?"

"Fitz, you have to run," She said, "We can't give up. We can't let this beat us."

"Ok," He replied, kissing her forehead, "I'll do it. Tomorrow you can call Cyrus, try to come up with a good vice president for me."

"Ok," She replied, and she turned off the TV.

"You were never going to give up were you?" He replied.

"I'm never going to let you give up out of fear or a sense of duty to us. We have just as much of a need to support you," Olivia replied, "My mother – she didn't do anything. She didn't do half the stuff that she was smart enough, and qualified to do because she was afraid. She was too afraid to leave Travis and I. There was no way my father would have done what you've done the past few years."

"So I run," He replied, and she nodded, "Can I at least change the channel?"

"Sure," she said, handing him the remote.

He switched it to Sports Center to catch the very end of the baseball game, as he felt Olivia snuggling in closer to him. He smiled as he kissed the top of her head, and then heard something that made his ears perk up. He shut off the game and looked down at her lovingly, watching tears streaming down her face.

"My mom's gone, Fitz."


	17. Picking and Choosing

A/N: Happy New Year! Enjoy the chapter!

Second Time Around

Chapter Seventeen: Picking and Choosing

"I. Love. You." Fitz smiled as he reached over and fed her a strawberry affectionately in the morning sunlight.

"You're so handsome," Olivia allowed herself to reply as she played with the little curl that came down obscuring a tiny portion of his forehead.

"Have I told you this story before?" Fitz asked, his mind running away with him.

"I don't know, tell me, and I'll let you know."

"It was right after I was shot," He replied, "When I woke up in the hospital?"

"No," Olivia replied, "I was there but there was no story.."

"Oh, yes there is," He replied, playing with her hand, "I have the biggest headache of my life, and I feel like if I move an inch that I'm going to have to scream in pain. I open my eyes and there was this angel lying in my arms. She wasn't looking up at me, she had her face angled down – and she was stroking the arm that she was holding around herself. Now I hear she was only there because Cyrus snuck her in…"

"Cy had to sneak me in because Mellie wouldn't let me see you," Olivia said, "And we were all wondering why you wouldn't wake up and Cyrus somehow just knew – you knew I wasn't there."

"…And I knew previously that I was supposed to be trying to let her go, but it occurred to me, as I was lying there," He paused, "Why would I ever let that angel out of my arms?"

"You haven't told me this," Olivia smiled as he leaned in and kissed her softly, "I love you."

"Oh, sweet baby," He smiled as he cupped the side of her face and she went back to playing with his curl, trying to tuck it back into the rest of his hair.

Jasper was playing in the grass with Gerry, and Karen was over sitting by the pool. The whole family was outside, which meant that the Secret Service was on high alert. There were agents strategically around the yard. `Desmond was in a bouncy seat in the shade of an umbrella sleeping, and Olivia and Fitz were sitting at the patio table.

"So what're we thinking?" Cyrus asked as he walked out onto the deck, escorted by some agent that he had never bothered to learn the name of, and Huck.

Cyrus sighed, the same stack of file that he had been carrying around since they won in new Hampshire was under his arm – and he put it down on the table.

"You have no idea how happy I was to get your call this morning, Olivia," Cyrus continued as he sat down.

Olivia poured Cyrus and Huck each a glass of iced tea.

"Well we have a lot of work to do in a small window," She said, Fitz allowed his hand to rest on the small of her back.

"Good to see you're all outside," Cy said, and Fitz nodded.

"It's the first of July," He replied, "I can't tell my kids in the middle of the summer that they can't go outside. And, I'm not willing to split up the agents, so Jasper wants to play outside, we're all outside."

"So who did you bring us?" Olivia asked as Huck silently sat there, drinking his tea.

"We tried to go for the big states," Cyrus replied, "I don't care how popular you are, or if you're from California – California is always going to try and swing liberal. I think you should go for Governor Carson. He's handsome, he's brilliant, the two of you would be like a calendar."

"What're my other options?" Fitz asked.

"Well, there's Governor Polvoy in Florida."

"These are my only options?"

"The only good ones," Cyrus replied, and Fitz took a deep breath, "Though we did get a letter from Mellie – she's practically already accepting."

"No." Fitz's reply was short.

"Do you want to think about that, sir?"

"Cyrus, I am not letting that woman near my family," He replied, "I am not obsessing about it, I'm not being bitter. The woman is nothing but pain to my kids, and vindictive and outright malicious to Liv. She's never been anything but manipulative—"

"Ok, ok," Cyrus replied, "She might not take that too well, but I'm sure we'll be ok without her."

"So it's either Carson or Polvoy," Olivia said, eager to get onto the actual subject as Fitz ran his hand up her back and put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder – engulfing it in his hand.

"How long do we have?" Huck asked.

"We have to announce the fourth," Cyrus replied, "But it would be best to get it in before that, so that we can plan a campaign event the day of."

"Why weren't we searching before New Hampshire?" Huck asked, "I don't have enough time to run enough-"

"It's bad luck, Huck," Fitz tried to explain to him, leaning back as he sipped his iced tea – looking at one of the files, "It's like saying Macbeth in the theater."

"Or seeing the bride in her dress before the wedding," Cyrus added, taking a sip of his drink, "Unless of course they throw it."

"So when can I meet this Carson guy?" Fitz asked, and Cyrus raised his eye brows.

"That was quick decision, sir," He commented, as Fitz threw Polvoy's file down on the table.

"I knew Polvoy at school – we don't get along," He replied, "He would never accept."

"We'll keep him as a backup," Cyrus said, "If you're offering him the VP, he might accept, sir."

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't accept if I offered him to sit on a throne and be second in command of the world," Fitz replied, "But sure, keep him in the running. When can I meet Carson?"

"He's in DC for the weekend," Huck piped up.

"Have I mentioned I love him?" Cyrus patted Huck on the shoulder, and took out his cell phone as he walked away.

"Olivia, how are you?" Huck asked, trying to be kind, "With everything?"

"I'm ok Huck," She said, brave face firmly intact as Desmond started to fuss.

"Looks like it's lunch time," Fitz smiled kindly, standing up and waving the kids in.

They all went into the house like a herd, with some of the secret service following them in. Olivia carried the baby in, and started to fix his bottle as Fitz went to fix something up for the rest of them. Huck offered to help, so Fitz had him help by putting together the salad while Fitz went out with a couple of agents to grill up some cheese burgers for everyone. He walked back in with a big platter as Huck, who had apparently been lost with the duty of salad was being instructed by Karen on what extras to put into it.

"Can we eat in front of the TV?" Jasper asked as he carried his plate full of food, and Fitz smiled – the older two and Huck were already in there, "If you're very careful, and if you sit on the ground, ok?"

"Thanks daddy," He smiled as he took off into the other room.

"Where's Des?" Fitz asked Olivia as Cyrus came in from his phone call and Olivia was fixing her plate.

"He's sleeping," She replied, motioning over to the swing, and Fitz nodded as he balanced his plate on one hand, and carried the swing just into the next room so that he could see him while they all ate.

"Be very careful on the rug," Olivia again warned Jasper as she handed him a napkin.

They were watching a cartoon – for Jasper's benefit. Since the incident in New Hampshire they had taken him to a physiatrist once, but were determined to keep things as normal as possible for him. They held him when he had nightmares, Fitz and Olivia had opened up their bed to him many times. However, with Desmond still sleeping in there with them, he found the baby distracting. They were adamant about putting Jasper down in his own room, but a couple of nights in a row, Gerry would offer up the trundle bed in his room.

"Can we switch to the news, please?" Cyrus asked as he came, just about running into the room, "CNN, it looks as if the Democrats are announcing their candidate."

Gerry worked the clicker so fast that Jasper didn't even have time to protest. And, suddenly the whole screen was filled with shots of Edison Davis. Olivia's dropped open, and Fitz almost gagged on his salad, the food falling right back onto the plate. Gerry, who had been old enough the first time around to remember Edison being with Olivia, turned to them and smirked a little bit.

"Isn't that your old boyfriend?" He looked like he was on the verge of bursting into laughter.

"I don't remember him," Karen said, and Fitz nodded.

"You wouldn't have – I'm surprised Gerry does," He replied and Gerry just started laughing, in hysterics.

"Gerry, this isn't funny," Cyrus replied, "This could cause so many problems – if the press digs up…"

"Oh, c'mon," Gerry said, still laughing, "Out of everything that's happened in the last few months – this is funny. Dad finally gets to know whether or not he's really the better man. What's better than a national election to figure that one out?"

"Gerry," Olivia tried to stop him, but started to chuckle herself.

"I guess you work in DC long enough this sort of thing is bound to happen," Fitz started to chuckle.

"Now this will be interesting," Gerry replied.

"I still fail to see the comic relief in this," Cyrus said, and Karen chuckled, "Sir, Carson will be here in less than an hour – It would probably be best if you weren't laughing like a hyena at your opponent."

"Sorry," Fitz attempted to sober up as Olivia got up to get Desmond, who had woken up in the commotion.

"Can we take Jasper in the pool then?" Gerry asked, "While you're having your meeting?"

"Sure," Fitz told him as Olivia came back to the couch with Desmond.

With that, the kids and many of the Secret Service agents disappeared up the stairs.

"Huck will you go out and sit with the secret service by the pool?" Olivia asked him and he nodded as he headed out, the majority of their agents were still with them.

Olivia excused herself to go and change into something more official looking, leaving Fitz with Desmond. Tom went with Liv, and Fitz stayed in the room with Cyrus and a couple of agents.

"I'm surprised James didn't come with you," Fitz smiled, bouncing the baby in his arms carefully.

"I wouldn't dare," Cyrus replied as Fitz lifted Desmond up, kissed his forehead, and set him against his shoulder, "If James saw this little guy any more than he already does - I don't know how long I'm going to be able to keep him from demanding one."

"They aren't so bad," Fitz smiled down his son.

"Yes well, they're not all as cute as Desmond," Cyrus said, and Fitz nodded as the doorbell rang.

"I'll go and get him," Cyrus said, as Fitz stood up and went to put Desmond into his swing.

Cyrus came back into the room with Carson walking about a step behind him. Carson was tall, but about an inch shorter than Fitz. They would look perfect together on the campaign trail, Carson was built a little more muscular than him. His eyes were bright blue and his hair was blonde, a shade darker than the stereotypical California boy.

"Nice to meet you, Governor Carson," Fitz smiled as he met him at the doorway to the room – reaching out to shake his hand.

"As it is very nice to meet you, Mr. President," He replied kindly, "You've got a pretty nice set up out here."

"Thank you," Fitz smiled, as Olivia came down the stairs.

"Babe, did you make sure the kids put Jasper's water wings on?" Olivia asked as she walked into the room, carrying a deflated pair of wings.

"No," Fitz replied, receiving her right into his arms, "I'm sure they've got it handled. We can go bring them out to them though. This is Governor Carson. Governor Carson, this is my wife, Liv."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Grant," Carson replied kindly as Fitz and Olivia grabbed Desmond as they led the way out of the room.

"Well, I'm not going to make a huge issue out of this," said Fitz as they made their way out to the pool, "I'm planning on accepting the candidacy, which means that I need to select a VP. Your name was on the top of our list."

"I'd love to, Mr. President," He replied as they walked in threw the pool gate.

"That's great," Fitz said, as they went to sit at the patio table, "And when we're out here, not in any sort of political setting – it's just Fitz and Liv."

"Michael," Carson replied as Jasper climbed ran over, and Fitz fit him with his water wings.

"And I'm sure Cyrus over there has plenty of things to catch you up on," Fitz said, "But I'd just like to get to know you a little bit better. Would you mind sticking around for dinner? We're planning on ordering in."

"That sounds fine," Carson said, "If you don't mind, I just have to call my girl – let her know I won't be home."

"Oh, invite her over," Olivia replied, "You brought her with you?"

"Yeah," He said, "She's from here."

"Jasper," Fitz said, "Gerry, Karen!"

"Yes?" Karen asked, carrying Jasper over, he was at an odd angle –and dripping wet, Gerry popping up next to them.

"C'mere, come meet my running mate."


	18. Saved

A/N: Hey! It's sort of a catch-up chapter…Hence why it's a little longer than the others... hope you all like it :)

Second Time Around

Chapter Eighteen: Saved.

"You packing up?" Olivia asked as she walked into Karen's open room in early August, "Gerry's almost done – you need some help?"

"No," Karen was sitting at her desk, and Liv went and sat on her bed.

"Are you ok, Karen?" Olivia asked.

"Do you and dad have to go to this thing tonight?" She asked, as she turned around and Olivia nodded.

"It's a bipartisan good-will dinner for the campaign," She replied, "Both candidates have to be there, or else one looks as if they are not as good as the other. We asked if you and Gerry wanted to come, you can still go if you want."

"No, we both said we'd stay with Jasper and Desmond," Karen said, and Olivia nodded.

"So what's going on?" Olivia asked, "When you got home from school I thought you were going to pack right up again and leave. You love school – and you love it way more than Gerry – What's up? Why aren't you packing? We're dropping you off this weekend."

"Do I have to go back?" She asked and Olivia furrowed her brow.

"No, of course not," She replied, "But you have to do something, you love school, why don't you want to go back?"

"I'm scared," Karen admitted as Fitz saw Olivia and in the room and walked in.

"You're scared?" Fitz asked.

"Why can't I just stay here, with you guys?" She asked, and Fitz nodded.

"You have to go back to school, Kare," Fitz said, "I thought that might be the reason behind your lack of enthusiasm. This guy isn't going to go after you guys, ok? He's going to have to chose with you guys up in Boston, and us down here. And you'll have agents with you – more than you're going to like to accept. I talked to the university, and given the circumstances they've agreed to allow you both to room together, for security reasons."

"I'm not scared for Gerry and I," She replied, "I'm scared for you guys – I'd much rather stay."

"Don't worry about us," Fitz replied, "We'll be fine – I just want to make sure you're safe, kiddo."

"C'mere," Fitz said as he stood up and walked over to her, giving her a big hug, "We'll talk about this later, ok?"

"Ok," She said, and Fitz nodded.

"You want some help packing?" Olivia asked and Karen shook her head, "No, I've got it."

"Ok," Olivia said, getting up and following Fitz out of the room, "Where are the rest of the kids?"

"Gerry and Katelyn are downstairs sitting with the boys," Fitz said, "I said we could drop Katelyn off at home on the way to the dinner."

"Ok," Olivia replied as Fitz wrapped an arm around her – she was just as nervous as Karen, "Maybe we shouldn't go. This would be the first time we've left the kids since…"

"I know," Fitz told her, "But everything's going to be ok, right? Huck said they were close to catching this guy – weren't you the one who said that we shouldn't be living in fear. We shouldn't be living stupidly, but we're not going to live in fear. They have most of the agents staying with them, there will be plenty of security at the dinner."

"Dad! Liv! Karen!" Gerry called from downstairs, and within seconds all three of them were running into the living room.

"What's going on?" Fitz asked, and Gerry turned up the volume on the TV.

"Look," Gerry turned back to the TV as Olivia scooped Desmond up from where he was lying on his playmat.

Jasper walked over and Fitz snatched him up, putting him on his hip as he walked around to get a better view on the TV. The news anchor was chatting on and on about how the police had caught a man in DC that was claiming to have been the one who had killed Layne Pope, and was offering up a whole bunch of details. Fitz looked over at Olivia as he let Jasper slide down his side, Olivia handed him the baby, and whipped out her cell phone.

"Is that really him?" Karen asked and Gerry furrowed his brow.

"Dad.."

"Liv's checking. Stay here ok?" Fitz replied, as she walked over into the kitchen, and Fitz passed the baby to Karen as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Huck," Olivia was saying as he walked in, "You need to tell me whether or not this is Legitimate."

"He's confessing, but I'm not a hundred percent sure," Huck replied, "I'm working on it now – it seems to be checking out."

"We need to know if he was a hired gun, Huck," Olivia said, and Huck took a deep breath.

"I'm afraid that there's not really going to be able to see that for sure," Huck replied, "But he was in every city on the trail up to New Hampshire, and then came back with you."

"Huck."

"I'll let you know," He replied, "I'm a little overwhelmed with stuff that's backed up. Keep the security up just in case – but I'm eighty-nine, maybe ninety percent sure they've got him."

"Ok, thank you, Huck," Olivia replied, and she hung up – turning to Fitz as she did.

"So?" He asked.

"Huck thinks it's him," She relayed, "He's up to ninety percent sure – Huck's never much more decisive about something like this so quickly. He says to keep security up."

"At this point it's not going away," He replied, "It's too easy for something like this to happen. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," She smiled, it was a smile of relief – the first one of those in months.

He smiled, matching her's and pulled her in close to him. She allowed it, as he leaned in and kissed her, softly. He held her close and smiled against her lips. Her hands went up around his neck, and pressed his lips against hers again.

"I'm guessing that this means it's him?" Karen asked, walking in – not really giving Liv and her father's position much thought.

"We're still leaving security as high as it is," Olivia told her and she nodded.

"But what does Huck think?"

"The story checks out," Olivia replied, leaning in and kissing Fitz's cheek, "But we still have to have our guards up, ok?"

"Ok," Karen replied, and she went into the room to announce the news to Gerry and Katelyn.

"We should go get ready," Olivia told him, as he pulled her closer.

"We should," He replied, his lips trailing up the side of her face.

"Fitz," She tried to discourage him, and he smirked.

"You're right, we should go upstairs," He breathed, "Maybe hop in the shower…"

"Fitz," She chuckled as his hand traveled down her side to her thigh.

"Please," He breathed.

"Only if we hurry," She said, checking her watch as she looked back up at him – nearly melting in his gaze, "Let's go."

Fitz chuckled as she pulled him by the arm up the kitchen chairs, so that they were going up completely out of view from the kids who were watching TV in the other room. The Secret Service smiled knowingly as Olivia pulled him into the master bedroom, and he shut the door somewhat forcefully behind them. After their somewhat long shower, Fitz went back out to the bedroom to get dressed while Olivia paused in the bathroom to do her makeup, her hair, and anything else that might mess up her dress if she tried to do it with it on. She walked out into the bedroom, and Fitz was all dressed, except his tie and shoes – he was headed for the drawer for a pair of socks. He went to grab the handle, and his hand froze.

"Babe," She said, hurrying over, but he was shaking it out by the time she got over to him.

"I'm fine," He told her casually, as it loosened up and he flexed it for her, "See?"

"We should go see the doctor again," She replied and he shook his head.

"The exercises he gave me last time have been helping," He told her, "I just haven't had time to do them enough. The other option is surgery, which I most definitely do not want. It doesn't really bother me all that much – just cramps up from time to time – you on the other hand…"

"What?" She asked, fixing her towel.

"You never used to wear a towel when it was just you and me," He observed and she took it off, handing it over to him.

"I was about to get into my dress anyways," She stated, and he smirked as he watched her walk over to where it was hanging in her closet.

"You know," He said as he looked into his mirror with his comb, and a little bit of Gel, "I think this the first time I'm going to have seen Davis since our little spat."

"Your little spat?" Olivia asked, dress now on as she walked back over to him, "Zip me up? – Babe, you broke his nose. You were fighting over me."

"Hey, he slipped an fell on his face," Fitz replied, turning around and zipping up her dress for her, "He even said so."

"Only because he had given you a black eye for proposing to me," Olivia said and Fitz shrugged.

"Hey, I won didn't I?" Fitz replied.

"You would have won anyways," Olivia said, "And you had just gotten out of the hospital. Speaking of which, I hadn't been aware that you could file for divorce from a hospital bed."

"I had already filed," He replied, "We signed the papers the day I got out – you knew that."

"I know," She smiled, "But I just find it oddly comforting that it didn't take you getting shot to realized that you couldn't live without me."

He chucked as he looked back into the mirror – fixing his hair so that it was perfect.

"Mmm, damn Fitz," Olivia said as he turned around – smelling amazing, "You're pulling out all the stops tonight, huh? You smell amazing."

"Just trying to look my best," He said, and then offered up his arms – wrapping them around her tightly so that she could press her nose into his chest, "Since we've been bound up here like the place is Fort Knox, I sent Tom to pick it up for me. I remember you saying that you liked it once while we were shopping before New Hampshire."

"You remembered that?"

"I filed it away," He replied, kissing her head, "So I could surprise you with it later."

"Damn, you are going to torture me all evening, aren't you?" Olivia said an he smiled.

"That is the plan," He replied, "If you're so distracted by me – there's no way that you'll even have the attention span to even entertain any thought on Davis."

"He's moved on," Olivia teased with a pout as if she were sad about this – served him right, "And there's also this rumor around that I'm hopelessly in love with my husband. But he's a little bit of an idiot sometimes."

"Oh am I?" He asked as she leaned up and kissed him.

"I mean really Fitz, he's not exactly the most handsome man in the land, or the smartest," She replied, "Or the most clever, or sweetest— He was actually kind of a jerk."

"Cyrus used to joke about him to make me feel better," Fitz replied and Olivia raised her eyebrows, "It may have had to do with how similarly he resembles a certain actor, commonly known as Bill Cosby. What were you thinking?"

"He was safe," She shrugged, "I had had enough to the cowboy, tough, I'll go try and shoot a duck but miss several times carrying enough passion to burn your face off if you're not careful– I needed a little Huxtable. Let's just keep praying the press doesn't find out how close I was to marrying him before I met my cowboy – complete with horse stable."

"We should go riding, now that it's safer."

"Dad, Liv!" Karen called from downstairs, "Carson and Lily are here!"

"Let's go," Olivia said, tying his tie very quickly for him, and then leading him down the stairs.

The ride over to the dinner was anything but quiet. Olivia had actually been able to make quick friends with the governor's girlfriend, Lily. She was a school teacher out in California, a high school history teacher. She was a far cry from most of the governor's and senator's wives and girlfriends. She was smart, and didn't care much about making sure that she said the right thing, and wasn't concerned about too much of the social drama like most of the others. Olivia actually liked her a lot, Fitz was getting along great with Carson, which was always a blessing. She guessed that was what happened when you didn't choose from someone you were previously running against.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Grant?" Fitz asked charmingly as the limousine they had shared pulled up to the art museum that was hosting them.

"Absolutely," She replied, handing him her hand as the limo door was opened, and they climbed out – Carson and Lily following them out a few seconds later.

The flashbulbs were going off all around them, and Fitz got this great smile across his face as he showed Olivia off.

"Fitz," She said warningly as he pulled her into his arms.

"Oh, c'mon," He beamed, leaning in and kissing her passionately for the cameras.

"You are so going to pay for that," She said, once she had retained a normal breathing pattern.

"I look forward to it," He winked as he started to lead her down the carpet and towards the entrance.

"C'mon you two," Carson rolled his eyes as he paraded Lily past them.

They waved kindly to everyone as they passed, the paparazzi were peppering them with questions.

"Mrs. Grant, how do you feel about the upcoming debate – will it be hard for you to watch?"

"Do you think you made the right choice?"

"Do you think America will make the same choice?"

"Mrs. Grant, who's the better kisser?"

"What," Olivia's eyes went wide, that particular question had managed to stop her in her tracks.

"C'mon," Fitz whispered in her ear as he whisked her into the building.

"They found out," She said and he nodded.

"Sounds like it," He replied.

"Well, they should know enough about me to know that I clearly made the better choice," She replied, leaning up and kissing him.

"C'mon you love birds," Lily said, from where her and Carson were standing, "You two are getting announced in just after us."

"Ok," Fitz smiled as he pretended to be frantic to get in line behind them, pulling Olivia along with him.

"Hello, Liv," Senator Davis said from a few couples up, looking back at them.

"Hi," She said, as she took just a half a step closer to Fitz.

"Oh, hey Edison," Fitz smiled, overly friendly – and way too excited to show Olivia off to him.

* * *

He stood on the edge of the dance floor, his cover of a date was off somewhere making a fool of herself – he was sure. His eyes, on the other hand, were locked on Olivia – his Olivia. She had been out on the dance floor with that fool all evening, and it was starting to get under his skin. He took a deep breath as Fitzgerald Grant III whispered something into her ear that made her smile. He took a deep breath and downed another glass of champagne from a tray a waiter was walking by him. Then, his heart started to beat a little freer as the moron puppet escorted her off the floor and then headed off in the direction of the bar – as she sat down at one of the tables.

He had to fight himself, it wasn't time to make his move – but damn it, she was just so beautiful. She was his, after all. One dance wouldn't give him away – the idiots thought they had caught him. He was a free man. He took a deep breath as he put the empty glass onto another tray, before crossing the room carefully to stand behind her.

"Where's Grant?" He asked casually.

"Oh, hey," She smiled at him, "He just went to grab us some drinks."

"Well, in that case can I sneak in a dance?" He asked carefully, with a certain amount of charm – she looked over at the long line Grant had just gotten himself into over at the bar.

"Um, sure," She smiled nervously as she stood up, "A quick one though, ok? Fitz will be back soon, he wouldn't like it, but he's the one who wanted a drink."

She wanted him too, this was proof. She could feel how perfect they would be together – that no good husband of hers was only in the way. She should send him off to get drinks more often.

"Of course," He smiled as he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor, it was like a breath of fresh air for him, finally able to put his hands on her, "The song's almost over anyways."

"So how is your evening?" She attempted to make small talk.

"It's good," He replied.

"Where did you learn to dance?"

"You like?" He asked, smiling kindly, desperately trying to keep his cool, "Maybe I can give Grant a few tips."

"Well," Grant said as he appeared beside them, drinks in hand as Olivia dropped her hands from his shoulders to take her drink from Grant, immediately falling back into her husband's arms, "I'm not really much of a dancer – if you're willing to give me some tips, I'd be delighted. Thanks for keeping my Livy company."

"No problem," He forced himself to step away, "Anytime."


	19. Winning!

Second Time Around

Chapter Nineteen: Winning!

"You're killing 'em, Dad," Gerry said over the phone as Fitz walked into the living room.

Karen and Gerry had been back at school for almost three months. They were holding up in their dorm room with Derek and Katelyn, more than the usual number of Secret Service Agents sitting with them as they watched it on their TV. Olivia was sitting in the living room as Fitz entered it, Jasper was told that he could stay up that night, so he was very happily playing on the floor – they had made him take a nap until late that afternoon. Desmond was asleep in his swing, Carson and Lily sitting on the other end of the couch, Cyrus was in the middle.

"Oh, c'mon," Fitz said as he sat down next to Olivia, "It's way too early to call California and Florida haven't come in yet."

"Florida never comes in until the next day," Gerry replied, "You're way ahead of Davis. You're already at two-forty."

"And all the red states have already reported," Fitz replied, wrapping an arm around Olivia.

"You're always so negative," Olivia said.

"What'd she say?" Gerry asked.

"She told me I was being negative," Fitz replied.

"She's right," Karen yelled.

"Am I on speaker?" Fitz asked.

"Yup."

"Hi," Derek and Katelyn called.

"Put Liv on?" Gerry asked and Fitz chuckled.

"I should have known you guys would rather talk to her," Fitz kissed the side of her head as he handed her his phone.

"Babe, Babe," Olivia said, "California's coming in."

The whole room went silent, even the ones who were present over the phone. Then, celebration as they all jumped up off the couch screaming as the TV screen announced that Fitz had won California – and therefore the election. Jasper, confused ran over and grabbed onto Fitz's leg, from where he lifted him up. Olivia hung up with the older kids, and joined in on the celebration.

"I won, Jazzy," Fitz said happily as Jasper smiled.

"Yay!" He said with a huge smile on his face, and threw his arms around Fitz's neck.

"Are we going over to the rally?" Carson asked, his arm around Lily.

"Of course," Fitz smiled as he adjusted Jasper, and leaned over and kissed Olivia.

"C'mere, Jazzy," Olivia took him from Fitz, kissing the top of his head as she put him onto her hip instead, "We have to go get you out of your PJs and into your little suit."

"I got him," Fitz said as Desmond started to fuss – they had woken him up he picked him up and then looked over to Carson and Lily, "Why don't you guys head over? It's gonna take us a while to get ready to go."

"Ok," Carson replied as Olivia and Fitz switched kids, and headed upstairs.

"C'mon, buddy," Fitz said as he set him on the ground, getting him his suit out of his closet.

"Daddy, do I have to wear the suit?" He asked, and Fitz took a deep breath.

"No," Fitz folded, as he went back to the closet, "How do you feel about the khaki's, and just a nice shirt?"

"Ok," Jasper said as Fitz took it out, and went to help him get into it, "Daddy?"

"Yeah, buddy?" Fitz said as he helped Jasper shed his PJs.

"Does you winning mean that Carson is going to be around all the time now?"

"Not all the time," Fitz told him, "He'll just be working with me, why?"

"I don't like him," Jasper said and Fitz nodded understandingly.

"Well, you don't have to, that's within your rights," Fitz told him kindly, "But you don't get to be rude, ok?"

"Ok," Jasper smiled as Fitz helped him get into his clothes, buttoning up his shirt of him.

"Now, I have to go change," Fitz told him, kissing the top of his head, "Stay in here and play for a minute?"

"Ok," Jasper replied as Fitz walked out into the hall – where his phone rang.

"Congrats Dad!" Karen and Gerry both yelled into their phone and Fitz smiled.

"Thanks, guys," Fitz replied, smiling as he walked into the bedroom – where Olivia had changed into one of her skirt and jacket suits, and was putting Desmond into something a little more presentable than the onesy he had been sleeping in.

"We'll let you get ready for the rally," Gerry said.

"We just thought you'd like to know you just got Idaho and Washington too," Karen said and Fitz smiled.

"Alright, I'll talk to you guys later, ok?" He replied.

"Love you dad!" Karen said and they hung up.

"Your suit's the in the closet, I hung it up this morning," Olivia said, setting Desmond down in a bouncy seat, then going over and leaning in to kiss him softly, "Mr. President."

"Oh," He replied, pulling her closer, "I do love when you say that."

She smiled as he leaned in and kissed her passionately.

"You have to get ready to go," Olivia replied, as soon as their lips broke.

"Ok," He replied, stepping backwards and Olivia stepped forwards, "Or not."

"One minute," She told him and he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, "Give me one minute with my now very high in demand husband."

"You and the kids will always come first," He promised her, "You know that."

After the rally, time passed very quickly between interviews and getting ready to go, and moving. They were intent on spending the long weekends and such at the house, so they were buying new things, and having the White House rooms set up, part of their deal with Jasper was that he got to pick out his room – which apparently had to be Toy Story themed. Fitz, Olivia, and Jasper had started to interview nannies – which both parents hated the idea of. However, both had been completely overjoyed when Olivia's favorite Aunt offered to help. She would live in the White House with them, and watch the boys when they needed a little extra help – but not all the time, which was exactly what they needed.

Before they knew it, Gerry and Karen were home for winter break, it was Christmas, and then they were getting ready for the inauguration. Much to Jasper's dismay, Carson and Cyrus were over the house every few days trying to get set for the policies that Fitz would be upholding and the new bills that they would be attempting to pass. Fitz and Olivia were working each night on a few of the upcoming addresses that he would have to give in in his first couple months. Gerry and Karen had both been officially excused by the President of their university to return to school the Monday after the inauguration.

"Wait," Karen asked, the early morning of the inauguration as Olivia walked into the living room with two gowns in bags and handed one to Karen, "I get to go tonight?"

"Of course, you both do," Olivia said as Fitz came in behind her, carrying two suits – one for Gerry.

"You mean we don't have to babysit?" Gerry asked and Fitz shook his head.

"Derek's suit has been delivered," Fitz told Karen as he handed Gerry the second suit.

"Also, let us know if Katelyn doesn't like her dress, we still have time for an emergency call," Olivia replied.

"Who's going to watch the boys?" Gerry asked – looking to Jasper who was playing on the floor with Desmond – who had just mastered crawling.

"Aunt Gin said she didn't mind starting tonight," Olivia told them and they smiled, "So she'll watch the boys – and you guys can have some fun."

"Awesome," Gerry said as Fitz put an arm around Liv.

"You guys ready to go?" Fitz asked, the last few things that they were bringing to the White House with them all packed up and ready to go.

"Jazz," Olivia bent over and picked him up as we walked over.

"C'mon, Des," Fitz went down onto his knees and waited for him to finish crawling over to him before he picked him up.

"Let's go," Karen said happily as Olivia led everyone out of the house to the car that was waiting for them.

"When we get there, we only have an hour to get ready before we have to be ready to go," Fitz warned them as they headed over.

"Everyone's outfits are all set out," Olivia told them, "The boys are fine, they're just going to be bundled up anyways."

Olivia stood happily beside Fitz as they stood on the steps and Verna swore him in. After the actual inauguration, they had some down time before they had to start getting ready for the ball. Karen and Gerry had their bedrooms back, and were busy setting them up "properly". Fitz and Liv finished setting up their bedroom, then went to check on Jasper, who was all excited about how his room had a secret door that led right into Desmond's nursery.

"We thought you might like that," Fitz chuckled as he sat on the floor with Desmond, where he was able to crawl down off his lap.

"And Jazz," Olivia said as she sat down too, lifting him up into her lap, "If you have any nightmares – Gerry is right across the hall, and Daddy and I are right on the other side of Desmond's room. There's another door in Desmond's room if you don't want to go into the hall, ok?"

"Ok," Jasper said as Olivia kissed his head.

"I love you, little boy," She told him and he smiled.

"I love you too, Mommy," He smiled up at her as she tickled his tummy.

"Hey, I don't get any love?" Fitz said as he stole Jasper right out of Liv's lap.

"Whoa, cool room, Jazz," Gerry said as he and Karen came into the room.

"I want a Toy Story room," Karen said and Olivia chuckled as she crawled over and grabbed Desmond before he could get too far.

"We can arrange it, if you really want it," Fitz chuckled as they joined the rest of the family on the floor.

"No, I'm ok," Karen chuckled, "I just might occasionally sleep in here – is that ok, Jazz?"

"Yeah," He replied as he went over to bring a toy to share with Desmond.

"So where is the ball tonight?" Gerry asked.

"Here," Fitz replied, as he looked over to his oldest son, "It's the first time we're leaving the boys with Gin, Olivia planned it so the ball was here. That way we can sneak away if the boys give her any trouble."

"So we don't actually have to go anywhere?" Karen smiled and Fitz shook his head, checking his watch.

"Derek and Katelyn should be here in a few minutes," Fitz replied.

"We should start getting ready when they get here," Olivia said, "Aunt Gin will be here in a few minutes to play with the boys, I have to run downstairs and double check a few things. Then I have to get ready and get down there by seven."

"Livy," Fitz said, "Take a deep breath, there's no rush, we'll get there when we get there, don't worry about being late – it's our party."

"It's your party," Liv corrected him.

"Fine," He said, taking Desmond from her, "Why don't you go make sure they're setting up right, while I watch the boys."

"Ok," Olivia said as she got up, leaned over and kissed him – then took off.

Olivia walked back up to the residence a couple hours later. Fitz was just getting out of the shower, his towel wrapped around his waist as he headed over to the closet, Olivia smiled as she walked into the bedroom – closing the door behind her.

"Well, well Mr. President," She teased him, as she walked over – wrapping her arms around him tight, "You didn't wait for me?"

"I'm sorry," He replied smugly, smiling as she set her hands against his still damp chest.

"I love you," She said as she leaned up and kissed him softly.

"I love you too," He replied, his voice low.

"Oh, I just one rule for you," She said, "Do not ever refer to me as the First Lady."

"I wouldn't dream of it," He chuckled as she leaned in and kissed the center of his chest.

"Good," She said as she took a step back, and headed for the shower.

"Daddy! Liv," Karen nearly burst through their door later as Fitz was just finishing up zipping her into her dress.

"C'mon in," Olivia called as Karen came right into the room, "We're all waiting out in the living room – we're all ready."

"Ok," Olivia said as she grabbed her clutch, and Fitz's hand, "We just have to say bye to the boys, then we'll be ready to head down. Are Cyrus, Carson, and Lily here?"

She nodded.

"That's what I meant by everyone."

"Tell them we'll be out in a minute," Fitz told her, and she ran off as he fixed his bow tie.

They made sure they had everything, and then headed down the hall to Jasper's room – where Gin was sitting with the boys. They walked in and Jasper ran right over to them.

"You're going to be good for Auntie Gin, right?" Olivia said as she hoisted her little boy up into her arms.

"Yes, Mommy," He smiled and Fitz turned to Gin.

"Jazz shouldn't be a problem, he's easy," Fitz told her, "But if you have any problems with Desmond or he decides to be a real issue for one of the first times in his life – both our personals are on. We're just downstairs, we can make it up here in minutes, and help out if you need it."

"We should be fine," Gin replied, Desmond in her arms as Olivia passed him off to Fitz, who gave him a hug and kissed his head before setting him back on the ground.

"And a quick kiss for Des," Fitz said as he went over and kissed his baby's head, then went back to stand with Liv.

"You ready?" Olivia smiled at him, and he nodded as Olivia went over and kissed Desmond before allowing Fitz to lead her out of the room.

"Hey, we get to party tonight, Mrs. Grant," He whispered seductively – so only she could hear as they headed downstairs with everyone walking just ahead of them.

"I'll just be lucky if I can make it without pulling you into the coat closet," She replied, in an even softer whisper, and he smirked.

"I wouldn't be too worried about that," Fitz replied, "I may or may not have something already set up."

Olivia was about to question him, but it was their turn to be announced into the ball. Fitz smiled as he raised Olivia's hand up in the air with his – walking in with confidence, and his beautiful wife beside him. He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly as the whole crowd clapped in celebration, happy to see President Grant back in the White House.

"Welcome back, Mr. President," several members of the staff said as they passed on their way to their table where the kids, Carson, and Lily were waiting.

"You all ready for a party?" Fitz asked his two older kids as he and Liv sat down.

"You guys didn't go last time?" Katelyn asked, "It's not like you were babies – you guys were what? Ten and eleven?"

"Ha," said Gerry, "That's funny."

"Like mom would have let us go," Karen finished for her brother.

"Let's not get into that tonight," Carson said, reading the look on both Olivia's and Fitz's faces and both of them nodded.

Suddenly, Fitz stood up, taking Olivia's hand.

"I think it's about time we got the dancing started, what do you think, Livy?" He smiled as he led her onto the dance floor as the party-goers all clapped.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look this evening?" Fitz asked, his eyes gazing in her eyes – making her feel a little wobbly.

"How is it after two kids you can still do that to me?" She breathed and he chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her softly.

"It's a perk," He smiled down at her lovingly, "Of this charm that I've had the great fortune of inheriting. That's the one thing I think I got from my father that I'm happy about."

"So what's this that you may or may not have planned for us?" Olivia smiled as couples started to join them out on the dance floor.

"Well you're just going to have to wait and find out," He breathed into her ear as she set her head onto his shoulder, "I love you, Livy."

* * *

Carson took another shot at the bar, and looked around the room. Lily was sufficiently entertained – sitting at the table talking with the moron's two oldest kids. He started walking over when he noticed that Grant had – for the first time that evening. Olivia was out on the dance floor still, with James posing as placeholder for Grant. The whole night had been a bust, he hadn't been able to get in even the shortest dance, Grant simply just wasn't giving her up. Carson was surprised to see him coming towards where he was standing – then took a slight turn a few feet from him, to find Tom.

"So the cameras in the oval," Gant whispered, he was a terrible whisperer.

"All set," Tom replied, "The cameras were shut off five minutes ago."

"Thank you," Grant replied, a grin coming over his face as he headed back to Olivia.

* * *

Fitz grinned as he walked back over to Olivia, taking her back from James, his hands falling onto the small of her back and up onto her shoulder. She put both her hands around his neck and smiled to match his grin.

"What has you so happy?" She smiled as he leaned in and kissed her forehead, then brought his mouth to her ear.

"I just arranged something with Tom," He replied, then dropped his voice, "What are the odds you'd be able to meet me in the oval in – five minutes?"

"How're we going to pull that off?"

"Well, Tom had the cameras shut off for the next two hours," Fitz told her, "And I figure if you go first, and I'll say good bye to a few people – and meet you up there."

"That sounds good, Mr. President," She smiled as she slipped out of his arms, and headed up to the oval.

Fitz went over to the table to say good night to the kids, and then was on his way out.

"Good night, Carson," He told him as he made his way by, "Liv and I are going to call it a night, I think."

"Oh, already?" Carson kept his cool, "Well if you're heading out so early – I think Cy was looking for you."

"Cy?" Fitz said, a little confused.

"I think he was heading over to the bar with James," Carson replied.

"Thanks," Fitz said, hurrying off in Cy's direction as Carson took off towards the oval.

* * *

A/N: So I saved my greeting until the end, because after all of you guys' reviews, and I had to go back and reread the last chapter, because it wasn't Edison - and you guys were so confident that I had to make sure I didn't actually say so myself. Though you guys were good sports and did catch both red herrings - Jack and Edison - but no, it'd be Carson - and you'll find out a little more about that next chapter :/


	20. Mistaken

A/N: Ok, so you guys are going to have to pay super attention to the lines… because this and the chapters that come after are going to jump around a bit. Eek Enjoy! Hopefully, I mean…. Yeah you'll see…

Second Time Around

Chapter Twenty: Mistaken

Olivia made a quick pit stop at the residence, looking in on Jasper, and then Desmond – and dropping her purse off in her room before she went back and to the Oval. She went right in and sat on the desk, to wait for Fitz – then decided that that might be a little premature. So, she switched over to sit on one of the couches, putting her feet up because they were killing her, but not wanting to rob Fitz of the chance to take them off for her. She smiled to herself, Fitz would be romantic enough to think of this. Clearly, he wanted to start off his presidency the same way he had last time.

"Carson," Olivia jumped a little as he walked into the room, "What're you doing up here?"

"There's no need to pretend anymore, Livy," He said as he shut and locked the door behind him, "We're alone now."

"What are you talking about, Carson?" She said, getting up.

"I said, you don't have to worry, the door's locked – and Grant's been – delayed."

Olivia's heart sank.

"They didn't catch him."

"They did, actually," Carson replied, "I couldn't keep a proper eye on you while keeping my plan intact. I'm sorry I've taken so long to come and get you, Livy."

"Carson-"

"I know," Carson replied, "You did a great job of pretending not to know who I was, Livy. I figure half of that was anger, which is understandable. I should have come after you that day, when you and Edison broke up the first time."

Olivia's heart twisted like there was a knife in it as she realized that she did in fact know Carson – through Edison. Not well, or else she would have remembered him – but she remembered Edison mentioning him. She wasn't even sure if she'd met Carson – he was supposed to be one of Edison's groomsmen, again she hadn't met them yet when she broke off the engagement.

"Of course, I figured out you were with _him_, after not too long," Carson continued, once he saw the look of realization on Olivia's face, "That hurt, at least at first, Livy. How you let him call you that – that stupid, silly man. The way you let him call you Livy, the way you allowed him to marry you – but it wasn't your fault. I had to be careful coming back to you – I did my research. I knew I had to be careful, I knew that Huck would be sure to alert him. Then any plans of rescuing you from him would be foiled."

Olivia tried to back up towards the wall. She looked around, the doors were all locked and the cameras were off, she had to figure out a way out. This was the White House, how was there no way out. The only secret passage couldn't be the trick door that everyone knew about. What was the point of having a secret escape that wasn't a secret to anyone?

And what the hell did Carson mean that Fitz had been delayed? They had let his man into their home, around Jasper, and Desmond, and they had left him pretty much alone with Karen and Gerry. She couldn't believe that Huck and her had been fooled. Where was Fitz? He wouldn't keep her waiting – not tonight. What the fuck did Carson mean when he said he had been delayed? And if he did anything to Fitz – what did he do to everyone else?

"What's wrong, Livy?" He asked, "I thought this is what you wanted – why do you think I went and became Governor of California. I'm better than him, just like I was better than Edison, too."

* * *

Fitz stopped about midway back into the party. He looked around, trying to get a visual on Cyrus. He spotted Tom standing in the corner, who seemed somewhat surprised to see him still there, and Fitz nodded. He knew this was ridiculous – Liv, his beautiful wife was waiting for him. He just had to find Cyrus first. Then he spotted him, just a couple yards away from Tom in line for drinks at the bar.

"Fitzgerald," One of his biggest campaign donors walked over to him, going to shake his hand.

"Oh, hey Darius," Fitz replied, smiling as he shook the man's hand, "And how are you this evening?"

"I'm great," He beamed, he had very clearly been a frequent visitor of the bar that evening, "Where is that lovely wife of yours?"

"Oh, she's around here somewhere," Fitz told him, unwilling to lie.

"If I were you I'd keep a close tab on her."

"Oh, I do," Fitz assured him as he waved over one of the secret service, "Nichols."

"Yes, sir?"

"Be sure that Mr. Arnold gets the finest treatment," Fitz told him – their code for 'he's drunk, make sure he gets home safely later'.

"Yes, sir," He replied and Fitz nodded to Darius kindly.

"Have a good night, Darius," Fitz told him as he walked away.

"Hey, Cy," Fitz said, as he reached where James and Cyrus were standing by the bar.

"Congratulations, President Grant," James smiled, "Again."

"Thanks, James," Fitz said happily, then looked to Cyrus and opened his mouth.

"Sir, you have no idea how many of the staff can't wait to work with you gain," Cyrus said, "It's all I've heard all night."

"That's great Cy," Fitz replied, "Liv and I were about to sneak off, Carson said you wanted to see me?"

"I told him I was looking for you hours ago," Cyrus said, "But I've seen you since then. We were both talking to you not too long ago."

"Right," said Fitz, as Tom backed out of a nearby door – slowly – as he whispered something into his sleeve, "All right, good night."

Tom could feel it in his soul – this was bad. He took off running as soon as he hit the hallway. If Fitz figured out what he was thinking – he didn't know what he would do – but he had to stop it. He brought his sleeve up to his mouth, and started barking orders into it.

"You need to turn the cameras back on in the oval office, right away," He said, breaking out into a flat out run, "What do you see?"

"Mrs. Grant and Vice President Carson are in the Oval, sir," Replied an agent, whoever had been closest to the control room, "I'm getting some audio – this doesn't seem good. How do we proceed?"

"Shit," He breathed, "Ok, here's what I need…"

* * *

Olivia looked up at the cameras, almost willing them on. Someone would realize she was missing soon – unless. She didn't want to think about the unless. She took a deep breath. Someone had to be coming, she just had to stall him – and the best way to do that was to play along. She had dealt with crazy people before – just not on this scope.

"Mike," She said, figuring it would be more familial, "What really happened to my mom?"

"I thought you might have a few more issues with everything," He nodded understandingly, "Tell you what, the cameras in the room have been shut off for another hour and a half – We'll stay here, I'll explain – and then we can try and get out of here, ok?"

"Ok," Olivia replied, and she couldn't believe her eyes as she spotted the tiny power light on one of the cameras turn on.

"Your mother," He took a deep breath, "I don't blame you, Darling, I don't. For marrying that ass-hat of a loser, I don't blame you – you thought that I abandoned you – it's fine. You picked up someone who would at least take care of you, at least you weren't in want for anything – but your mother. She should have known better than to let you marry that jerk. I told him he couldn't harm the children – I wouldn't harm a hair on their heads – even if they are half his. We'll take them with us, Darling – I'm raise them and love them like my own children, my love."

"They'll need their father," Olivia replied, carefully, "Desmond's young, but Jasper's pretty attached –"

"He'll learn to love me more," Carson replied simply, "He's young, he'll forget about Grant – he won't even remember him in a few more years, once he has a few more siblings. And once Desmond's talking, and calling me daddy, Jasper will just catch on."

"Then why was that assassin in Jasper's bedroom?" Olivia asked, allowing herself to channel all her anger at the conversation into her question.

"He was supposed to take them, that's all," Carson replied, "And not the little one – just Jasper. Desmond was too young to come. I figured it would be easier to get you out later if we didn't have to bring both of them with us. If Jasper was already safe, then it would be easier to just come back and get you and Desmond."

"Well that made sense," Olivia replied, trying to keep the conversation going, "But he has nightmares now, of people coming into his room and hurting him at night."

"I'm sorry, Livy," He said, "I promise, as soon as we're safe, and away from this place we'll work on it with him."

"And what about Grant?" Olivia asked the question that she had been dreading – she had just seen the kids – and they were fine.

"Well, he'll be a little trickier to dispose of now," Carson replied, "But I've been working on it."

"You have?" Olivia replied, trying to seem more at ease as she sat back down on the couch, taking a deep breath and Carson nodded.

"Yes," He replied, "I should have him taken care of within a few hours – don't worry too much about it, my Livy."

"You shouldn't do that," Olivia replied, taking a mental panic second, that's why he wasn't worried about Fitz showing up, "That fool is so in love with me, as long as you take me away – he'll be destroyed. We'll never be able to get away if you handle his assassination – they'll chase us."

"Liv, I've spent months watching that man man handle you first hand," He replied, "I cannot just let him live. He has to pay."

* * *

Fitz had finally been able to escape the party, deftly ducking out of the ballroom. He checked his watch as he stepped outside, and realized that he only had another hour and a half before the cameras came back on. He was passing the front doors when he noticed that something was going on at the front doors. The Secret Service were trying to keep someone out, so he paused and looked on – it took him only a second to realize that it was Huck.

"…Trust me I have to get through here," He said, "I know the President – I just need to speak with him…"

"Hey, hey," Fitz called out as he took a few steps closer, "Let him through."

"Thank you, sir," Huck scrambled up the steps and up to him., "I'm sorry – I was overwhelmed, I had a huge backlog. I figured because we thought – it doesn't matter what we thought, because I should have seen this."

"Spit it out, Huck," He told him, "What's up? Why're you here."

"I'm sorry I didn't catch it, sir," He replied, "I should have."

"Huck," Fitz said.

"Where's Olivia."

"She's waiting for me, spit it out, Huck."

"Oh good, you know where she is," Huck said, "Like I said, I'm sorry I didn't catch it sooner. The guy they caught – he was a hired gun."

"What?" Fitz replied, "Well who hired him then?"

"It's Carson, sir," Huck held up a big file folder, "Michael Carson. He was going to be one of Edison's groomsmen, but Olivia broke it off before she even met most of them, including Carson. He been following her from afar for years, he even knew last time, while you were President… Sir he…What?"

Huck looked up to see the most horrified look he had ever seen on Fitzgerald Grant's face. He looked like he had literally shit his pants.

"Huck," Fitz felt like he was about to hyperventilate, "I need you to go up to the residence, and stay with Gin and the boys. You!"

"Sir?" An agent looked up.

"Make sure my children do not leave that party," Fitz called over his shoulder as he ran off towards the Oval Office.

* * *

"Now, Liv," Carson said as he sat down next to her on the couch, moving slowly towards her, "I'm just going to need a little insurance here. A little something to make sure you're in this, with me."

"What is it, Mike?" Olivia asked, her heart racing.

"I want you, Livy," He breathed, "I know you want me too. Show me. Baby, I need to feel you."


	21. Baring Arms

A/N: Hey there guys, here we go, ready to dive back in? It makes me sad though, because it's almost over - I'm sure I'll think of a sequel though – I'm going to miss Jasper too much lol…

Second Time Around

Chapter Twenty-One: Baring Arms

Tom was standing outside the Oval Office, his ear to the door – he had been there for several minutes, waiting for his back up to finish assembling. He was supposed to wait, he was supposed to wait until he got word. He was listening intently, Liv was doing beautifully. She was stalling him – of course she would be good at this. He kept looking over his shoulder, his gun ready – he had picked the lock ten minutes ago. He was just waiting on the green light. He had to get in there – Grant would personally kill him if anything happened to her and he knew that he was just sitting there.

"…I know you want me too. Show me. Baby, I need to feel you."

Well that was close enough to a green light, he was not going to sit out there any longer. He burst through the door with the gun in both hands, ready to shoot. This had been the exact thing that he had been trying to avoid doing – because Carson reaction was exactly what they had expected. He jumped off the couch and dragged Olivia towards the back wall – gun that he whipped out of his jacket pointed straight at her temple.

"Tom," Olivia looked to him like he was about to rescue her from death.

"Take it easy," He said, as Carson seemed to get himself settled – and pointed the gun at Tom.

"Back off!" Carson yelled, his arm around Olivia's neck – tight.

"Ok," Tom said, stepping backwards, "Loosen your grip on her, though – you're going to hurt her."

"I would never hurt her!" Carson yelled, pulling her a little tighter, "You would shackle her to that moron. Drop your gun."

Tom kept it up, and Carson waved his gun at him.

"I cannot do that sir, I am sorry," Tom replied.

He was racking his brain as he glanced around the room – looking for something, anything that might help him. Olivia's eyes were as wide as a doe's and Tom had no clear way to get her out of there. They were setting up snipers, but they wouldn't be able to get a clear shot the way that Carson was holding her.

"Drop the damn gun, Tom," Carson replied, loosening his grip on her, and pointing it at her head instead.

"Ok, ok," Tom replied, and he put the gun on the floor in front of me.

"Now step aside," Carson told him, pointing the gun back at Tom.

"Tom," Olivia whined.

"I will not," Tom told him, "I will not, because there is no way that you are going to make it out of here alive, Carson. Not with her – there's agents packing all the routes out of this."

"Are you going to help?"

"No," Tom replied, "I'm going to return Liv to the man she loves though."

"She doesn't love him, you ridiculous man."

"She does," Tom was attempting to break his fantasy, "She loves that man more than I think I have ever seen anyone love anyone else. They're insane for each other. Liv?"

Tom tried to communicate to her that it was ok. They had to shatter his fantasy of her loving him – because he would never give up if there was even an ounce of a reason for him to think that she was in love with him. She needed to tell him, and it was risky – but Tom was willing to bet that this guy wasn't going to hurt Olivia – it was in his gut – and if there was anything he had learned from Olivia it was to follow his gut. Now he just had to trust that she would know enough to say something.

"It's true, Carson," Olivia spoke up, "I love him."

Suddenly Carson's gun was pressed right back up to the side of Olivia's head.

"She – She doesn't know what she's saying."

* * *

Fitz took off running from the foyer, his mind racing. Carson had been standing right near by when he went to check with Tom that everything was all set. Carson sent him to find Cy so that he could get away and go find her himself. Fitz shook his head as he got onto the elevator – totally mortified that he had missed it. The elevator doors opened and he got off – ready to run down the hallway when he was slowed.

He had walked right into a barricade, just down the hall from the Oval. There were TV monitors up front, and about twenty Secret Service agents were huddled around, blocking the hall – all armed and they had their guns pointing towards the door.

"Sir, you can't be here," said one of the senior agents as he walked over.

"The hell I can't," Fitz said as he walked right up to the front and got a view of the monitors, "What the hell is going on in there?"

Fitz was still transfixed, his eyes glued on the screen where Carson had Olivia at gunpoint. There was talking going on – but they had turned the sound down the sound when he had walked up. He took a deep breath. Olivia was panicking, he could see it on her face.

"This escalated before we got to figure out how to get her out," the agent told him, "You can stay here, but you have to stay back there, sir."

"I can see that," He replied, "What the hell is going on in there? What does he want? I thought this sicko was after me."

"We all did, sir," another agent replied.

"So why does he have my wife when he would have had an even easier time getting me?" Fitz asked and they all just sort of looked at each other.

"Well, sir it turns out that you're not exactly what he's after."

"What?"

"He's after her, sir," said the first agent, and Fitz nodded.

"I can see that," Fitz said, "Olivia doesn't have any enemies though – I mean, not real ones."

"Well he doesn't see himself as an enemy," the second agent told him.

All of them were looking at each other – none of them wanting to be the one to tell him. Fitz recognized the looks, and the overall feeling of the people surrounding him being terrified to tell him something.

"Well then what does he see himself as?" Fitz asked, motioning for them to turn the volume back up – which they did.

"…She loves me!" Carson just about screamed – it wouldn't have mattered if they had turned the volume back up or not – he would have heard that anyways.

"Excuse me?"

"…He believes that he's her lover, sir,"

"What?" Fitz replied, fully aware that his face had turned a foreign color.

He took off towards the door – and it took about eight agents to hold him back. They apologized profusely and dragged him almost all the way back to the elevator. They were all apologizing to him, and telling him that they had it covered – that she would be safely returned to him as soon as possible. He wasn't even sure who was talking to him, or what exactly what it was that they were saying to him. He blinked, this was not his life – this wasn't happening. He looked down at his shoes, and then back up at the closest monitor.

"…Livy, it'll all be ok," Carson was whispering into her ear, his hands starting to wander around her flat stomach, causing Fitz to stand up in anger, "I will get us out of here, and everyone will be ok."

"Sir, we're handling it."

"You're handling it?" Fitz's fists were balled where he stood as he watched Carson kiss his wife's neck – he could feel his face going darker and darker.

"Sir, you're going to have to calm down," the first agent walked back from the front of the barricade.

"Calm down?" Fitz replied, having to fight a strong urge he had to throw half of them down the hall and into the Oval's door.

"Yes, sir," He replied, as Fitz took a step back – like he was going to calm down and be a 'good' boy, "Thank – you sir."

He started walking back towards the front again, and Fitz took a deep breath. Maybe he should calm down, they were doing all they could – it was his choice – he had chosen Carson. He took a deep breath as he looked up from the floor – the attention was back off of him again – and he looked up at the monitor. Fitz's already aching heart was about to burst from his chest. Carson had the gun pointed at Olivia's head, again. But now the arm that had been around her neck had snaked down. His hand was now firmly and prominently on Olivia's breast.

Fitz made a split second decision that he wasn't going to stand around waiting there anymore as he saw Carson's hand start to head south. He looked around – trying to make sure that no one noticed him as he spotted a gun lying unmanned towards the back of the barricade. He walked casually up to it, and put it into the pocket of his suit, very slowly walking backwards. He looked around to make sure that no one was watching him, then took off. There was more than one entrance to the Oval Office – he wondered how easily he would be able to get by any of the other barricades to get in there.

He took a deep breath and took off down one of the halls – trying to get to the other route to the other door, the one that ran through his private study. He would end up on the same wall that Carson was holding Olivia on. He was an awful shot, but if he wasn't moving – and he was close enough, he might be able to get him. Tom was in the room – he could act as a whitness, this was quite clearly an act of self-defense.

Fitz walked up to the backside of another barricade – purposefully ignoring the monitors this time as he ran right through them, walking right into his personal office. He knew he would be on the monitors soon – they would know who had just ran by them – and they would come after him. He crossed the room as quickly as possible. This had gone on long enough – he needed Olivia to be safe, to be in his arms. But most of all, he needed Olivia - his Livy out of Carson's arms.

He took a deep breath as his hand fell onto the knob of the door that led into the Oval. He heard the door behind him open, the agents that were previously standing out in the hall on the way to the office, were coming in to stop him. He couldn't let them do that. He opened up the door, and stepped inside – watching Tom's eyes expand in panic as he saw him. Fitz was lucky, he was on the right side of Carson, he had to monopolize on the fact that he didn't know he was there – but he still had a gun to Liv's head. He wasn't going to risk losing Liv. He whipped the gun out of his pocket and aimed it at Carson.

"What the hell is going on here," Fitz yelled, getting their attention.

Carson spun around, dragging Olivia with him to see Fitz standing there – pointing his gun at Carson.

"See, Livy, my dear?" Carson whispered, kissing her ear – she winced, and Fitz was one step closer to pulling the trigger, "I told you, within a couple of hours I'd have him handled."

He then started to move his hand back down to her breast.

"Stop right there," Fitz said, but Carson paid no attention to him.

"Fitz, don't," Olivia said, reading her husband's mind, "He's baiting you."

"Oh, let him get riled up, dear," Carson said as he took his gun from her head and pointed it at Fitz, "He's a dead man."

He finished his sentence as three gunshots went off – the sound of them ringing through the room.


	22. The Man

Second Time Around

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Man

Olivia was waiting in the Emergency Room, Cyrus next to her as she waited. They weren't letting her in to see him yet. She could see him through the glass, recovering from surgery. He was fine – he was just knocked out because they had to take the bullet out of his arm. She was pacing in circles, and Cyrus had decided not to try and stop her. The police had already came in and questioned her – from what he had gathered between what he had heard from her and what had gotten out of Tom, he wasn't asking her anything. The police had wanted to question Fitz, but they weren't about to do that before Fitz went in to get the bullet out – so they would return the next day to question him.

"How much longer til they let me in, do you think?" Olivia asked him, wringing her hands nervously.

"Shouldn't be too much longer," Cyrus replied.

"I should call Karen and Gerry," Olivia replied, "Let them know he's out, he's fine."

"You already had me call them," Cyrus reminded her.

"Yes, but that's not the same as hearing it from me," Olivia replied.

"I think at this point they'd much rather just wait and hear from him once he's awake," Cyrus replied, "They said goodbye to him when he left, the next phone call they're going to want is one where they get to talk to him."

"Right," Olivia replied, continuing her pacing, going into a sort of a trance, "Huck's still with all of them?"

"You're going to have to peel that man away from those kids," Cyrus replied, "He feels awful about what happened. He thinks it's his fault."

"It's not – we overworked him," Olivia said, not coming out of her trance.

"Liv," Cyrus tried, "Why don't you go rest, I'll get you when they're going to let you in."

Olivia didn't respond, but he wasn't exactly expecting one.

Olivia could barely stand with everything that was going on. Carson's hands wouldn't stop wandering, something that was dangerous for his health, if he wasn't holding a gun she would have him on the ground. It was extra dangerous because Fitz – who could never be considered a non-jealous man was pointing a gun at him. Fitz was telling him to stop, to put down his gun and release her. He wasn't listening, and in the commotion Olivia watched Tom pick his gun back up. She tried to get out of his line of fire as Carson let her go – to aim at Fitz better.

Carson pulled the trigger, as Fitz jumped out of the way of the line and fired towards Carson as Olivia stepped back. Fitz had always been an awful shot – but had managed to get a shot into his arm. Fitz was crumpled over onto the ground, in pain as Carson went to aim at him again– on the ground. It wasn't even a second later that Tom's much more accurate shot got Carson through the side of the head.

Olivia screamed, and ran around where Carson's body was laying and ran to Fitz's side, falling to her knees as he was trying to get up. His left arm was bleeding – pretty profusely, and Tom was at their side.

"Livy," Fitz breathed as he was still trying to sit up, Olivia helped him so that he was sitting as the rest of the Secret Service filed in.

"Can we switch?" Tom said to Liv, and she nodded as he ripped something off of his shirt and wrapped it around his arm like a bandage.

"Fitz," Olivia said as she stroked the side of his hair.

"You're ok?" He checked, wincing as Tom looked around.

"We're going to need the presidential ambulance," Tom told a passing agent, and he nodded as he went off to call it in.

"I don't need the ambulance," Fitz replied as he tried to stand up, and faltered as Olivia struggled to keep him up.

"Babe, you're not ok," She replied as she helped him over to the couch and sat him down, "You're shot."

"I'm shot?" Fitz replied, looking down trying to locate wound.

"Yes, you're shot," Olivia told him, "Now lean back, ok?"

"Ok," He obeyed, as they brought in a couple stretchers.

Olivia tried not to watch as they loaded Carson into a body bag and onto one, and they wheeled one over to where Fitz was with her. Olivia had to get up and let them in – so went around to where Cyrus was being debriefed by Tom.

"Where're the kids?" Olivia asked as she got over to them.

"Huck's bringing them down," Tom told her.

"We thought you'd want Carson's body removed before we got them down here," Cyrus replied.

"Thank you," Olivia said as Huck walked into the room, setting Jasper down as they walked in – Gerry carrying Desmond – who he handed right over to her.

"He's going to be just fine, Mrs. Grant," said one of the EMTs as he walked over, "We should get him over to the hospital as soon as we can though – to minimize any complications."

"Thank you," Olivia replied, "We can take him as soon as the kids get to see him for a second."

"Of course," he replied.

"Livy?" Fitz called, as if she were down the hall.

"Yes, babe – I'm right here," Olivia said, walking over.

Jasper had crawled up and was right up next to him – on his right side – and Fitz had him under his arm while Gerry and Karen were standing in front of him.

"Oh, Daddy," Karen kneeled down in front of him as Olivia stood behind him, a free hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine, sweetheart," Fitz told her as Gerry took Jasper from beside him.

"Here, babe," Olivia let Desmond very carefully hug his father's neck, "Give your daddy a hug."

"Ok," Karen said, taking Desmond back from Olivia – Karen was blocking Fitz's arm from Jasper and Desmond's view, "They have to take dad now."

The kids were escorted back to the residence by Huck while the EMTs returned to help Fitz onto the stretcher, his arm was now all padded up.

"I don't need a stretcher," Fitz complained as they put him up there.

"Fitz, shut up and let them take care of you," Olivia replied, returning to his side – taking his uninjured hand.

"Livy," Fitz said, looking up at her, "He got my bad arm."

"I know."

"No, he got my bad arm," Fitz said again, "Maybe they can do something while they have me under anyways."

* * *

Olivia had told the police exactly what she had seen, and Tom had told them at the office. They were working on cleaning it up now – so that it wouldn't be a mess – but Olivia didn't know when she would ever be going in there again. She took a deep breath and looked through the glass at him again. Fitz looked so helpless lying in there, she had to get in there – before he woke up. She needed his arms around her – or arm. His left was up in a sling, elevated.

"Mrs. Grant," said his doctor as he walked over to where she was standing up against the glass.

"Yes?"

"You can go in with him now," He told her as he paused in front of her, "Just be careful on the arm. We think we were able to fix some of the nerve damage while we were in there – but we won't know for sure for a couple of weeks."

"Thank-you," Olivia replied as she nodded to him and went into the room.

She had showered, a couple times at the hospital, while he was in surgery. Cyrus had brought her a couple of outfits that Karen had picked out for her and she had gotten into her favorite sweats. She took a peak at his arm in the sling, it was all wrapped up and had a brace on his hand so that he wouldn't be able to move it until he they wanted him to. His upper arm, just above the elbow was where the bandage from the gunshot was.

She walked around to the other side. She wanted to climb right onto the bed with him. She felt dirty, no matter how hard she scrubbed she couldn't get the feeling of Carson off of her. All she wanted was to curl up right with him and try and erase anything of Carson that was on her still. The skin on her neck and face was crawling like he had been infected.

She reached over and started stroking the side of Fitz's hair, feeling his curls soft in her fingers. She trailed her hand down the side of his face, half trying to wake him. She knew that he needed his rest, but she needed her husband. She sat down on the edge of his bed, and leaned over kissing his cheek. She kissed the side of his face again on the way to his ear, which she kissed softly.

"Fitz, I need you to wake up, ok?" She knew she was being selfish – but she needed him – the kids needed him.

There was no way that Karen or Gerry were going to sleep before they heard Fitz's voice – even if it was over the phone – and they were going to need their rest. They were going to need them to help out before they headed back to school. She tried to convince herself that this was the only reason that she would wake him – but she couldn't even convince herself that it was part of the reason she was waking him up.

"Livy?" Fitz's eyes flickered open, and she smiled as his uninjured arm curled around her like a reflex.

"Hey, babe," She said, leaning in and kissing him softly, he pulled her in and she very easily collapsed onto his chest, "I'm hurting you."

"The only thing that hurts is my arm," He replied, kissing the top of her head, "You're fine – you're not going anywhere."

"Can I get a little comfier?" She asked and he obliged –loosening his grip – as she snuggled up against his right side.

"Good?" He asked as he tightened his arm around her again.

"I love you," She whimpered.

"Hey, hey," He said, raising her head with his hand, noticing the tears that were forming in her eyes, "What's the matter? I've got you – you're safe, Livy. He's gone – he's not going to hurt you. He never was, I would have never let that happen, Liv."

"I feel… dirty," She said and he pouted.

"Oh, Livy," He replied, pulling her tighter, so that she was lying just with him, "Don't. You're - Livy, I love you, so much. You have no idea how happy I am just to be able to have you lying with me here right now. Now, I'm exhausted because I don't think that the drugs have really worn off yet – and I need sleep. Sleep, here with me, Liv?"

"I don't think I can sleep," She replied and he nodded.

"Well they've given me plenty of drugs," He replied, "I'm sure we could get you some – at least to get you to sleep tonight. It's understandable."

"No," Olivia replied, "Just hold me? Ok?"

"Of course," He replied, and Olivia nodded.

"They're bringing the kids in the morning," Olivia told him, "Not Desmond, he'll end up with something weird – he's too little. But Jasper, Karen, and Gerry."

"Good," He replied slowly, "Did they see me before I went in?"

"Before you left the White House," Olivia replied, and he nodded.

"What about the police?" He asked, "Somebody's dead-"

"They took statements from Tom and I," Olivia replied, "They said that they would be back to talk to you in the morning, but I don't think they will."

When she didn't get a response, she looked up at him, only to realize that he was out – like a light. She nuzzled her head back into his chest, lying there comfortably – letting his scent overwhelm her. She tried to focus in on it, and the way that her head was rising subtly up and down as she drifted off to sleep.

"Good morning," Cyrus waltzed into the room at the crack of dawn, opening the shades as he did – waking them up, "The kids are here. But before we let them in, the press was told that you were injured in an incident that killed the Vice President. We were planning on waiting to release the whole story until after the police have decided to stop investigating. But I think that a quick address would be a good way to assert that to the nation that you are fine."

"Let the kids in, Cyrus," Fitz said, as Olivia tried to sit up – but he wouldn't let her, she was still very firmly under his arm.

"Sir," Cyrus replied warningly.

"Cyrus, let the kids in," Olivia told him, "The man wants to see his kids – let them in. He has another four years to be president, and he will address the press. However, right now? It's not nearly as important for them to know that he is fine, than it is for his kids to know that he is perfectly ok."

"I'll let them in sir," Cyrus said, going and opening the door as Gerry and Karen walked right in, letting Jasper up onto the bed with Fitz.

"How you feeling, dad?" Gerry asked as he and Karen sat down in chairs beside the bed.

"Ok," He replied, smiling as Jasper climbed up between him and Olivia.

"You sure?" Karen asked as she looked over into his sling.

"The Doc said I would have to wear the sling for a while," Fitz told them, "But other than that – I will be fine. We're all going to be ok."

* * *

A/N: And so ends this story :'( which is actually quite sad to me… but alas I'm sure before long I'll have a new story line for this universe of Olitz… but for now I have to say goodbye to them all …. Hope you all enjoyed the ride!


	23. Author's Note

A/N: So, I just wanted to let you all know I've started in on a sequel... called "In Too Deep" :) If you care to continue on with Jasper as a character :)


End file.
